Jamaica: Man out on bail for 2017 murder shot dead at Mandeville bar

Jamaica: A man who was out on bail for a 2017 murder was shot dead at a bar in Top Greenvale, near Mandeville, in the early hours of Tuesday morning, the latest in a string of killings to rock the parish in recent days. Police have identified the dead man as Asagar Martin, resident of Greenvale.

Reports state that Martin was among patrons at the bar when a gunman approached and opened fire, hitting him and another man. The shooting occurred at about 12:30 am.

Both injured men were taken to hospital immediately where Martin was pronounced dead on arrival and the second man was admitted for treatment. His condition has not been disclosed yet.

Police noted that Martin was on bail for the March 2017 murder of 40-year-old William Granville, who was stabbed to death near a nightclub in Nashville, Mandeville. He was reportedly making weekly reports to the police station as a condition of that bail.

No arrests have yet been made in connection with the incident, and investigators have not disclosed any motive behind it as police have not said whether they believe the killing is linked to Martin's earlier murder charge or to any other ongoing dispute in the area.

Martin's death comes just days after Deenekia Pounall and Sadefa Henry were gunned down on Saturday night while travelling in a taxi at Horseshoe Curve on Caledonia Road in the Manchester capital. Police say the two were seated in the back of the vehicle when a passenger who had disembarked opened fire on the taxi's occupants. Pounall was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital, while Henry later succumbed to his injuries.

Tuesday's shooting has pushed the number of murders recorded in Manchester so far this year to 22, according to police figures.

The back-to-back killings this week have renewed calls from community members for increased police presence in Mandeville and its surrounding districts. Investigations into both incidents are continuing, confirmed the officials.