BLACK RIVER, St Elizabeth — A man charged with a quadruple murder is among eight high-risk detainees who escaped from the Black River Police Station lock-up on Monday triggering concerns about security measures there.

The man, Anward “Kirkie” Hinds, has been charged in relation to the murders of four farmers — Archibald Brown, 60; his brother George Brown, 57; Maurice Sanderson, 40; and Ezra Wright, 73 — in the remote community of Claremont in St Elizabeth on May 27, 2015.

At that time, police had said he was believed to be the leader of a gang, which was a remnant of the infamous Stone Crusher gang.

In July 2015 he was found hiding in the ceiling of a house in Hatfield, Manchester, and apprehended.

The other detainees who escaped on Monday are Oral Cole, 31, from Comfort Hall, Manchester; Richard Brown, 34, from Middle Quarters, St Elizabeth; Alrick Hutchinson, 38, from Brighton District, St Elizabeth; and Dean Simpson, 34, from Turner Top, St Elizabeth, who were all in custody charged with robbery with aggravation; Jevaughn Simms, 25, from Copperwood, St James; and Kenneth Stewart, 30, from Beacon Hill, St Catherine, were both being held for murder; and Demar Williams, 29, from Gravel Heights in Spanish Town, St Catherine, who is facing a shooting with intent charge.

In a press release, the constabulary’s Corporate Communications Unit said police were conducting a routine cell check at approximately 6:00 am on Monday when they realised that the men had escaped.

“They cut the metal bar at the window. It has to be a machine they use to cut that. One cell guard with 60-odd prisoners,” a police source told the Jamaica Observer, raising concern about security at the lock-up.

Head of the police’s communication unit Senior Superintendent Stephanie Lindsay issued a reminder to the public that it is a criminal offence to harbour a fugitive.

“… So, if anybody sees these individuals turn up in their community, report it to the police immediately. These men are supposed to be in custody, so if they turn up with relatives [or] friends then they are to alert the police [and] not to harbour them,” she said.

The police said they will be deploying all available resources to ensure the escapees are captured.

They also urged the escapees to turn themselves in and allow the justice system to take its course.

“Evasion will only amplify the severity of the situation. The public’s assistance is crucial during this time. Residents are encouraged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities or unfamiliar individuals to the National Intelligence Bureau Tip Line at 811, Crime Stop at 311, Police Emergency at 119, or the nearest police station,” the police said in the news release.

The police also said the Inspectorate and Professional Standards Oversight Bureau is conducting an internal investigation into the circumstances of the escape and to reinforce preventative measures.

The murder of the four farmers had shocked the nation.

Police had reported that about 8:00 pm on May 27, 2015, during a power outage, three of the four victims — Archibald Brown, Sanderson, and Wright — were playing dominoes by candlelight at a small shop operated by Wright’s granddaughter when three armed men entered.

The gunmen pushed the young woman away and shot the three men multiple times. They died on the spot.

The gunmen reportedly encountered George Brown some distance away, shot him, and slit his throat.