THREE persons were murdered and two Jamaica Defence Force soldiers shot and injured after the voting for national elections closed on Monday, with a squabble over politics being blamed for at least one of the killings.

The dead were yesterday identified as Damien March, a 35-year-old tiler of Cassava Piece in St Andrew, Troy Duffus, 35, of Glendevon, St James and Richard O’Connor of Spanish Town in St Catherine.

March, said the police, was killed while celebrating the Jamaica Labour Party’s election victory. According to the police, during March’s celebration, he and another man became involved in an argument when he (March) was shot. He died on the spot.

Yesterday, the police said March’s killer was a known supporter of the People’s National Party. Both lived at the same premises.

Duffus was attacked by a group of men as he attempted to enter his home in Glendevon, St James about 2:00 am yesterday. He also died on the spot.

Information surrounding O’Connor’s demise were sketchy, but the police said he was shot in the Kingston 11 area.

The first soldier was shot and injured while a police/military patrol scoured the volatile Mountain View Avenue area which had been wracked by a sharp increase in violence since the announcement of general elections two months ago.

A release from the JDF said gunmen fired on a foot patrol at 63 Mountain View Avenue, a known Jamaica Labour Party stronghold, and hit the soldier in the leg. One of the gunmen was killed and an AK47 assault rifle retrieved, said the army statement.

The other soldier was shot in his foot in Allman Town, St Andrew about 40 minutes later when another patrol was attacked by gunmen.

Both military men were yesterday in hospital in stable condition.

Meanwhile, political thugs fired a barrage of gunshots in sections of the Corporate Area, St Catherine and St James hours after the polls closed on Monday.

Yesterday, there were reports of loud explosions in the Corporate Area communities of Maxfield Avenue, Waltham Park Road, Jones Town, Maverley, Waterhouse, August Town and a community known as ‘Compound’ in Olympic Gardens.

In response to the reports, the police increased its presence in the communities and were working alongside the army to quell the disturbances.

“As part of our election planning, additional personnel are on standby and will be deployed if necessary,” a statement from the Constabulary Communications Network said. “The police are also asking supporters of both political parties to stay off the streets and to help the police by reporting any unlawful activity”.

The statement also said that commissioner of police, Lucius Thomas, had requested audience with the leadership of both major parties who agreed to publicly beg their supporters to exercise restraint.