5 dead including 4-year-old in in Jamaica mass shooting by gunmen posing as police 

Jamaica: In a shocking incident, a mass shooting incident in Linstead, St Catherine, Jamaica has claimed the lives of five individuals on late Sunday. The Jamaica Police Force is reporting that a four-year-old Shannon Gordon was among those killed in the incident which occurred sometime after 10 pm in Commodore community.

Eyewitnesses claim that armed men, posed as police, and they attacked a family yard which left at least nine people shot and five of them died on the spot.

The men were reportedly dressed as policemen, as they were wearing police-style vests and they descended on the premises along Commodore main road. The attackers, according to eyewitnesses, rushed inside the yard immediately opening fire on the occupants.

Assistant Commissioner of Police in Area 5, Christopher Phillips, described the crime scene as ‘awful’ and ‘very unfortunate’ and noted that the community had been enjoying relative calm before this tragedy.

ACP Phillips confirmed the development saying that his team is trying to put together the pieces to determine what really triggered such an awful situation.

The victims include four-year-old Shannon Gordon who was a student of Rosemount Primary and Infant School, 42-year-old Mario Sullivan, 39-year-old Iysha Washington, 19-year-old Jushane Edwards and 22-year-old Famous Amos.

ACP Phillips also explained that the indicator of this incident so far suggests that this might be a continuation of gang violence which he said is a surprise for him as the area had been quiet for a while. The investigations into this brutal incident are still ongoing, he added.

Following the incident, Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness visited the area and assured the residents there that the Jamaica Constabulary Force are aware of their mission and added that the society must place as much significance on the victims of crime as it does on the perpetrators.

“As Prime Minister I had to reach out to the families, and I had to give them my personal reassurance that we would support them, while working unceasingly to bring the perpetrators to justice,” he said.

Authorities have also announced a $2 million reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for the deadly mass shooting in Commodore, Linstead, St Catherine.

Moreover, a 48-hour curfew has also been imposed in three communities in the Linstead area of St Catherine following last night’s mass shooting in Commodore. The curfew began at 6 p.m. Monday and will continue until 6 p.m. on Wednesday.

Commissioner of Police, Dr. Kevin Blake says that his team already have strong leads in the case of the deeply brutal and tragic gun attack in Commodore.

While condemning the attack and offering condolences to the families, Dr. Blake made it clear that such acts of violence will be diligently pursued and resolved in the interest of justice, and to showcase to criminals that Jamaica will achieve lasting peace and violence producers will be dealt with appropriately.

The Commissioner further mentioned that violence producers should understand that the police officials will continue to bring down crime. He stressed that they have no haven anywhere in Jamaica; they will be found, and they will be brought to justice.