SAVANNA-LA-MAR, Westmoreland — Community members in sections of this western Jamaica town are bracing for a spate of reprisal killings, following Saturday morning’s shooting death of three individials, including a physically challenged woman and a budding entertainer.

The deceased have been identified as 41-year-old Akeem Bradbury of Dunbar River, and 30-year-old Andreka Smith of Ricketts Street; both in Westmoreland. The identity of the third individual was not ascertained.

According to a report from the police, about 7:30 am, Bradbury was driving on the Ricketts Street main road when he was pounced upon by men armed with rifles and handguns. They shot him, the 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, Smith, who was reportedly bed-ridden, was found suffering from gunshot wounds. Bradbury and Smith were assisted to hospital where they were both pronounced dead.

Shortly after, the shooters reportedly stopped further on Ricketts Street where they peppered a man who was standing in his yard with bullets. He was rushed to hospital where he died while undergoing treatment.

Yesterday, residents attributed the ongoing blood-letting in the area to escalating tension between warring factions in Savanna-la-Mar.

“It is gangsters from over the other side who come over here and killed the people dem. If it was not Paparatzzi it would have been somebody else. And look how them all kill the poor girl (Smith). We can’t take it no more,” one resident bemoaned.

Another chimed in: “It cannot continue this way. We need a strong police presence in the area. Yesterday morning it was like World War III. A pure gunshot a bark.”

Member of Parliament for Westmoreland Central George Wright said more police personnel were needed in Westmoreland.

“I can tell you there is a rivalry between one community and the next. And of such we are really in need of more police presence and also motor vehicles, preferably pick-ups that can traverse the different communities,” Wright argued.

Custos of Westmoreland Canon Hartley Perrin was in agreement with the legislator.

“I am concerned about the crime situation, especially with respect to the fact that most of these are done by persons who have guns. And I am sure that all of the citizens are living in fear. I know for a fact that the chamber of commerce has been very, very active in trying to get persons to respond towards putting up cameras in the town so that we may have an eye to what is happening,” Perrin stated.

Since the start of the year, Westmoreland has recorded 105 murders, which is 40 more than the 65 reported over the corresponding period last year.

Custos Perrin bemoaned the high level of murders, coupled with number of COVID-19-related deaths in the parish.

“It’s bad enough that we are losing citizens to COVID, but to compound the situation by adding murders to it is really mind-blowing,” Perrin said.

The custos appealed to the youth to put away the guns.

“I would appeal to the citizens to think again, especially the young people who are usually the ones handling the gun, to put aside the guns, to deal with the problems another way other than a violent way. We have areas for mediation, citizens for restorative justice, these should be used to put an end to whatever differences may exist, whether in personal lives or in communties because the resources are there and we ought to use the resources to our disposal,” Perrin stated.