FORMER Member of Parliament for Westmoreland Central Dwayne Vaz is urging constituents to play their part to reduce crime rates.

This comes on the heels of the murder of emerging dancehall artiste Paparatzzi on Darling Street in the parish on Saturday morning.

“Citizens must be alert and vigilant. They must work together with the police to ensure those guilty persons are brought to justice. Stop facilitating known violence producers in your community,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

In an official report from the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s information arm — Corporate Communications Unit — the incident occurred around 7:30 am.

According to the report, Paparatzzi (whose given name is Akiem Bradbury) was driving on the Ricketts Street main road when he was pounced upon by men armed with rifles and handguns. They shot at him. The 41-year-old entertainer jumped from his vehicle and ran, but he was chased and shot multiple times in the upper body.

After that the marauding gunmen went further up the street and pumped several shots in a yard. When that shooting subsided, Andreka Smith, who was reportedly bed-ridden, was found suffering from gunshot wounds. The entertainer and Smith were assisted to hospital where they were both pronounced dead. A third individual, whose identity was not ascertained, was also killed in the incident.

Investigations are ongoing to uncover a motive.

Meanwhile, Vaz, who knew the emerging deejay personally and had booked him to do a dub for him in the 2020 General Election, said the community is still coming to grips with the matter.

“With this incident, people are shocked and sad, tense too. But many shootings have been going on so the entire Savanna-la-Mar area is hot,” he said.

Yesterday morning, Governor General Sir Patrick Allen declared states of public emergencies (SOEs) in St James, Westmoreland, and Hanover and the police divisions of St Andrew South, Kingston West, Kingston Central, and Kingston East. These measures are to help to curtail the fast-rising murder rates in these parishes, which Prime Minister Andrew Holness said has peaked up to 57 per cent increase.

Paparatzzi is known for Gideon World, Braffaz, and Braffing.

In an interview with the Observer last year, the former Titchfield High School student said he was optimistic about the future of his music career.

“The journey has been overwhelming, yet the experience has been exciting,” Paparatzzi added.