THREE women, two of them sisters, were shot and injured in a drive-by attack on Thursday evening in Rose Gardens, central Kingston, threatening to reverse the peace that residents of this volatile and gang-ridden community have worked to maintain since January.

The violent attack came two days ahead of a peace walk organised for the community, popularly referred to as Spoilers, by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Kingston Central police, YARD Empire, and international non-governmental organisation Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light.

Head of the Kingston Central police, Superintendent Beresford Williams said he does not foresee Thursday’s shooting disrupting the peace that has existed in the community since the start of the year.

“There was a shooting incident. A car drove into the area and men opened fire and the three women were shot and injured. We can’t make predictions, but we are going to ensure that the peace we were enjoying in the space continues. This is the first incident since the first or second of January, and it was a vehicle that came into the area and impacted the space. The citizens want peace and, together with the police, they are working,” Williams said.

“Saturday we are supposed to be having a big peace march in the space, led by UNESCO and some other stakeholders alongside the police. We will impact the space with a major march starting at 3:00 pm,” Williams added.

Since January men who were once at violent odds with each other began to use the lull in violence to make amends, and even staged regular, friendly football games as well as a peace dance.

On Thursday the three women were shot at a premises in close proximity to the intersection of James and Charles streets. The incident occurred at approximately 8:30 pm.

Despite Superintendent Williams’ optimism that the shooting will not disrupt the peace, some residents are on edge.

“A whole heap a shot fire. A just the other day we had a peace dance. This have the potential to mess up everything. The man dem inna di place were saying they are serious about peace. Right now, nobody knows where that shooting is stemming from. All I know is, pure positive things been happening from the other day, so we just have to keep looking out, but at the same time I would rather certain things don’t happen,” one resident told the Jamaica Observer on Friday.

His neighbour agreed, saying that he was hoping for the best as these kinds of events usually unsettle things in any community.

“I am just praying for things go back on the smooth path because, trust me, we have been enjoying the peace — big people, children, everybody,” he said.

Between January 1 and June 9 the Kingston Central Police Division recorded 14 murders, one less than the same period last year. As it relates to shootings, the division recorded 12 over the same period, compared to 25 for the same period last year.