KINGSTON, Jamaica – Minister of National Security Peter Bunting has expressed deep regret at last night’s brutal murder of yet another police officer in the Kingston Western Police Division.

Constable Lyndon Barrett – a five-year member of the police force – was shot by gunmen on Wellington Street in downtown Kingston whilst carrying out patrol duties in the area.

His life was snuffed out just a week after his colleague Woman Constable Crystal Thomas was shot dead by gunmen on a public passenger bus after being identified as a police officer. Both were assigned to the Denham Town Police Station.

 “This is another sad day for the Jamaica Constabulary Force and Jamaica, and I call on all Jamaicans to join me in condemning this heinous crime,” said Minister Bunting. 

He added: “We will not allow this cowardly attack on law and order to go unpunished. I wish to assure the Jamaican people that the police will not be deterred in their efforts to defend communities and to maintain the pressure on criminal elements”.

Bunting said, “On behalf of the Government of Jamaica, I wish to express deepest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Constable Barrett. I encourage the men and women of the Jamaica Constabulary to remain courageous and resolute in the face of these attacks. We have the capacity to track and apprehend these vicious attackers, whose agenda seems to be to cause fear among the citizenry. With the partnership and cooperation of the people of Jamaica, we will bring these perpetrators to justice.”

The security minister is currently in Washington where he is meeting with senior State Department and law enforcement officials on topics which include furthering cooperation on combating narcotics trafficking, organised crime, and the lottery scam as well as building the capacity of local law enforcement to deal with violent extremism.