‘Brazen’ daylight shooting shocks motorists, police

Commander of the St Andrew North Police Division Superintendent Randy Sweeney has described yesterday’s shooting along Constant Spring Road as a “very brazen” attack, particularly as police had increased their presence across the division for the reopening of schools.

Two people were shot and injured along the thoroughfare on the busy Monday, the first day of the new school year. Videos on social media show damage to several cars along the busy road as the incident reportedly unfolded over several metres.

“I would regard this shooting as being very brazen, especially the fact that extra deployment of police was right across the division, particularly because of the reopening of school,” Sweeney said. “In fact, that specific intersection, where the shooting started, we had police right at that location earlier in the morning.”

Sweeney said that investigators are still in the early stages and are open to getting more information.

“Although it is early stage, and the intent has not been ascertained as yet, nonetheless, we believe that this shooting was indeed targeted, but investigation is ongoing,” he said. The conditions of the two injured persons were not disclosed.

The incident comes as a threat to the continued decline in serious crime across Jamaica which recorded 368 murders up to the end of August, with the month recording 37 murders. The police have also reported that shootings are down 24 per cent compared with the corresponding period last year.

Sweeney said police would continue with their crime-fighting strategies despite yesterday’s incident.

“We’ll continue to utilise the strategies that we have been embarking on since the start of the year, and even before, where we are primarily focused on deterrent strategies, whereby we identify the key drivers of crime and focus our attention and resources on them,” he said. Sweeney said those measures include both intelligence-led, and community-based, policing.

“This is imperative because it harness that collaborative approach to crime-fighting, helping to build trust and confidence. It’s a stakeholder relationship approach to crime-fighting,” the commander said.

“We are utilising these strategies, and by the grace of God, we will continue to see the downward trend in crime, because at the end of the day we’re talking about saving the lives of our fellow citizens,” he added.

“Protecting properties that persons have invested so much in and at a minimum they should be enjoying these properties or the benefit of their investment.”