FIVE more murders on Sunday pushed the country’s tally to 10 in the first three days of 2021, with a further two people killed in alleged confrontations with the police.

Sunday’s killings included a double murder in St James where two armed men opened fire at a group of people in a bar and grocery store in John’s Hall.

When the gunfire ended, five people were seen nursing gunshot wounds. They were taken to hospital where 24-year-old Kenroy Sinclair, and 44-year-old Dean “Diego” Reid were pronounced dead and the others admitted in serious condition.

The killings continued along Spanish Town Road in the St Andrew South Police Division on Sunday afternoon when 25-year-old Chevaughn Peart was fatally shot by thugs.

Meanwhile, detectives from the St Catherine North Police Division were called to murder scenes on Old Harbour Road and Melissa Crescent, Spanish Town, Sunday night.

A 37-year-old mason, Andrew Rowe, was gunned down on Melissa Crescent, while 55-year-old Denzil Stewart was fatally shot by a group of men who attacked him while he was standing at a shop on Old Harbour Road.

In the incidents involving the police, one man was fatally shot during an alleged confrontation with members of a police/military team on King Street in Montego Bay, St James, Sunday afternoon.

One Taurus 9mm pistol with a magazine containing four 9mm rounds of ammunition was reportedly seized during the incident.

The dead man has been identified as 29-year-old Mikhail Cunningham otherwise called Lucifer, Nickoy, Oshane and X of a Montego Bay address.

In the other incident, a man, who was not identified up to press time, was fatally shot in Crescent District, Spanish Town, St Catherine. He is believed to have been among three armed men who invaded the yard of a member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) and engaged the policeman in a shoot-out.

One Taurus sub-machine gun with eight 9mm cartridges was reportedly taken from him.

Both incidents have been reported to the Inspectorate and Professional Standards Oversight Bureau (IPROB) and the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM).

The latest crime figures were released while Police Commissioner Major General Antony Anderson was adressing the men and women under his command during the JCF’s Annual Devotion yesterday.

Speaking from the conference room at his Old Hope Road, St Andrew, office, Anderson asserted that perceived challenges at the onset of the novel coronavirus pandemic have proven to be opportunities for the force to connect with the public it serves in new ways.

“The current opportunity has given us the opportunities where we can reach out to our people in new and even better ways. We have the opportunity to have our public have greater insight into the JCF – the parts they don’t usually see,” said Anderson.

“This will be a year when we make even greater sacrifices and be even more persistent in our policing efforts. The safety of those we serve depend on it. Let us look for the opportunities in every crisis… Let’s have a great year,” added Anderson.