EVEN while highlighting the good news of a reduction in major crimes so far this year by 15 per cent, Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Deputy Prime Minister Dr Horace Chang on Wednesday raised concerns about the emerging trend of multiple fatal shootings stemming from gang-related conflicts.

The government officials were bemoaning the recent multiple killings in Cherry Tree Lane, Clarendon, where eight lives were lost and nine others injured due to an ongoing gang war. Similarly, gang violence in Pleasant View Hill (formerly called Wareika Hill) claimed the lives of five individuals, including two suspected gang leaders, and the Bowens Road triple murder in South St Andrew, which was part of an ongoing conflict between rival gangs.

Holness told journalists at a post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House on Wednesday that the Government is looking at increasing the reward money for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of perpetrators of such crimes. He said the Administration is also examining laws to specifically deal with these hoodlums.

With murders down by 19 per cent, resulting in 233 fewer lives lost and shootings down by nine per cent from January 1 to November 4 this year, the prime minister said the Government is concerned that the security forces’ efforts in achieving these reductions “could easily be wiped out by just one incident”.

“This is of grave concern to us. We have looked at the laws and we have been examining the possible responses that the security forces could have. The law does give some account for such actions. Under the Offences Against the Person Act, a person who commits a murder, who is convicted of the same, especially if the murder is permitted under the circumstances where the Act appears to be calculated to create a state of fear in the public or in a section of the public, that the maximum charge should be applied, meaning a sentence of death or life imprisonment,” he said.

He said that the Government has given direction to the police to start to look at these kinds of shootings and seek to prosecute along those lines.

“In other words, we need to start treating these incidents as criminal terrorism and we probably need to craft legislation to specifically identify these kinds of shootings — [resulting in] multiple fatal victims. So we are examining the legislation to see how we can craft specific laws around that or whether or not we actually have legislation that can be used together to create that impact,” he said.

“It is beyond me to see why someone would see a festive event going on as in Cherry Tree Lane or in Pleasant View Heights and just open fire on a crowd. What other reason could there be aside from just the sheer inhumanity and savagery other than to create fear in a community and the public. Terror is the word for it. And, therefore, these persons are not ordinary criminals. They are your worst kind and should be pursued with extreme prejudice,” he added.

Reminding that a reward of $25 million was put up for the Cherry Tree Lane incident, the prime minister said that the Government will continue to incentivise the public to share information by increasing the reward being offered relating to such incidents.

“We will look at the budget and see what we have. But we must incentivise the sharing of information, and anytime there is any shooting that is a multiple victim shooting, there will be a substantial reward for the public for anyone who would give information leading to the capture [and] arrest of anyone who is involved, including persons who provide information [on those who] aid and abet in any way those persons who commit those crimes,” he said.

In the meantime, Chang, who is also national security minister, said the incidents, which are “deeply concerning”, are not random acts of violence but are linked to conflicts between organised criminal groups involving gang activities, drug trafficking, lottery scamming, and gun running.

He said the JCF is working tirelessly to maintain peace and security and bring the perpetrators of these heinous acts to justice. “We understand the gravity of the situation are are treating each incident with the utmost priority,” he said.

“The police have seen significant reduction in incidents of multiple murders. While the recent three have shaken the society, in a sense, it is more a reflection of the fact that the society is hearing less about multiple murders than when they happen. It does create a sort of social shock and indeed we are concerned about them as everybody in society,” he said.

“At this point last year there were 78 incidents of double murders, with 156 victims. This year there have been 40 such incidents, with 80 victims. Quadruple murders have been halved from four incidents, with 16 victims, to just two incidents, resulting in eight victims. This reduction in major crime numbers reflect the effectiveness of our strategies to reduce gang-related activities and violent crimes,” he said.