FOLLOWING the shooting of five people in separate incidents in Standpipe, St Andrew, on Thursday night, the police are now trying to determine whether the incidents are connected.

Two of those shot have died. They have been identified as 23-year-old Romaine Minott, otherwise called “Baggie” of Old Hope Road in St Andrew, and Junior Brown, 29, of Cedar Valley, also in St Andrew.

The other three people are reportedly in stable condition in hospital.

Commander for the St Andrew Central Police Division, Senior Superintendent Jacqueline Green told the Jamaica Observer yesterday that the police, at this time, are not noting any connection.

According to the senior superintendent of police, there was an incident in March involving a resident of a section of Standpipe called Forkland and another resident from a section called West Bank in which the police had to intervene.

However, Green said: “We are not sure if that incident led to the shootings, but my operatives are still on the ground investigating.”

In the meantime, she said a team of police has been dispatched to the area, which is now tense following the shootings.

According to the police, in the first incident, which occurred about 7:45 pm, a group of men were standing near the Barbican Road entrance to Standpipe when two men alighted from a car, shooting Minott and another man. Both were rushed to hospital where Minott was pronounced dead and the other admitted.

In the second incident, which occurred about 15 minutes later, three men, including Brown, were standing at the Old Hope Road entrance to the community when they were pounced upon by a gunman and shot. All three were taken to hospital where Brown was pronounced dead and the other two admitted.

Police from the Matilda’s Corner station are investigation.

— Tanesha Mundle