A Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) private was among five people murdered across the island Saturday night into Sunday morning.

Police sources yesterday told the Jamaica Observer that a top level investigation is now underway into the fatal shooting of the soldier and another man in Spring Piece district, St Ann, on Saturday.

The JDF member has been identified as 25-year-old Leighton Sinclair, while the other victim was identified as 38-year-old Devoy Webb, a mechanic. Both men are of Spring Piece district addresses.

The Ocho Rios police report that about 11:20 pm residents heard explosions and summoned them.

The cops later found both men with gunshot wounds. They were taken to hospital where they were pronounced dead. Up to press time last night, the investigators had not established a motive for the killings.

In Hanover, 29-year-old Aaron Melbourne, better known as Don, and 18-year-old Baglio Anthony Salmon of Hudson Crescent, Norwood, St James, were fatally shot, and three other men were left nursing gunshot wounds after they were attacked in Mount Pleasant.

The police report that Melbourne, Salmon, and two other men were at the house of a friend when they were pounced upon by four men armed with guns who opened fire at them.

The men ran off in separate directions, but the gunmen gave chase firing shots at them. One man, who was standing in his yard close by, was shot as the gunmen fired wildly at their targets before escaping on foot.

The injured men were taken to hospital where Melbourne and Salmon were pronounced dead, and the others were admitted in serious, but stable, condition. Residents later told the police that a sixth man was shot in the incident, but up to late yesterday he had not been located by the police.

The fifth murder victim in the bloody 24 hours has been identified as 21-year-old Necko McLaren of a Kingston 11 address.

The police report that about 8:00 am on Saturday they heard loud explosions in the Riverton City area. They went to check and stumbled on McLaren’s body in a pool of blood with what appeared to be gunshot wounds to the head. Investigators are still trying to determine a motive for his killing.

In the meantime, at least five people were left nursing gunshot wounds from incidents in St James; Gregory Park, St Catherine; and Whithorn, Westmoreland, in the 24 hours from Saturday through to Sunday morning.