PORTLAND, Jamaica- The Portland police were kept busy during the last 24 hours as they investigate two murders which pushed the number of homicides committed in the parish to three, since the start of the year.

Late Sunday evening, at Windsor Forest in the parish, two Haitian male nationals reportedly got into a fight. During the fracas, one allegedly punched the other who fell and hit his head. He was reportedly taken to the Port Antonio Hospital where he died Monday morning while undergoing treatment.

The other incident reportedly occurred on Monday at a garage located on Folly Road in Port Antonio.

The police report that about 4:30 pm, Oshane Reid, who works at the garage, was effecting repairs to a motor vehicle when he was approached by a man who enquired about a used bumper for a  Toyota Axio motor car.

Shortly after, loud explosions were heard and Reid was seen lying face down and bleeding from his upper body.

He was taken to the Port Antonio Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The alleged shooter escaped on foot.

The first murder in the parish for the year  occured in Buff Bay late January.

Portland, once regarded as the safest parish on the island, is currently behind Manchester, St Elizabeth, and Trelawny where either one or no murders have been recorded so far this year.

-Everard Owen