THE fatal shooting of seven people, including a four-year-old boy and a wanted man, by the security forces on the first day of 2026 has sparked alarm by human rights group Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) whose Executive Director Mickel Jackson described the situation as untenable.

At the same time, she welcomed the performance of the police in 2025 in reducing murders through its various initiatives and operations. Last year, between January 1 and December 27, there were 666 people murdered across Jamaica, which was 487 fewer than the number in 2024 over the corresponding period.

The four-year-old boy was identified as Romain Bowman of Granville in St James. The wanted man, who is from Westmoreland, was identified as Delano Leslie, otherwise known as Crazy, who had been featured on the police force’s Wanted Wednesdays.

Jackson said it is important to highlight the success of the police but, at the same time, the reality on the flip side, where citizens are being fatally shot by the security forces, is too alarming to ignore.

“This alarming trend follows a troubling close to 2025 which saw 311 police fatal shootings — the highest number since 2010 when over 300 were recorded amid the Tivoli Gardens incursion, and before that, in 1984 with 354. These figures represent a 65 per cent rise in police-related killings for 2025 compared to the 189 in 2024, underscoring a pattern that demands immediate scrutiny,” Jackson said.

She added that for avoidance of doubt, JFJ welcomed, “the historic reduction in overall murders in Jamaica — down by approximately 41 per cent in 2025. However, we remain deeply troubled as a human rights organisation by the concurrent spike in police-involved fatalities. This achievement in curbing violent crime is commendable and reflects targeted efforts by law enforcement, but it cannot overshadow the human rights implications of increased police killings. Conflicting accounts from citizens often emerge in these cases, raising questions about transparency, proportionality, and accountability”.

Jackson referenced two cases of fatal police shootings which occurred last year.

“Two recent examples highlight these concerns — the September 2025 killing of 22-year-old Jahmar Farquharson in Cherry Tree Lane, Clarendon, and the March 2024 killing of 27-year-old Romario Sterling in Bog Walk, St Catherine. In both instances, CCTV footage appears to show the individuals in postures of compliance moments before they were fatally shot,” she said.

She also highlighted the fatal shooting of three men on Windward Road in Kingston which was caught on CCTV camera, resulting in the cops being charged with murder and perverting the course of justice on allegations of planting a firearm at the scene.

Jackson reiterated JFJ’s call for the use of body-worn cameras by the police, saying, “JFJ is also concerned that the increased planned operations contributes to some 50 per cent of all fatalities. The situation demands scrutiny. While body cameras are not a panacea, such technology could provide evidence to resolve discrepancies — protecting both officers and citizens. In this context, we note Police Commissioner Dr Kevin Blake’s September 29, 2025 interview on Nationwide News Network where he discussed the procurement process for additional body cameras, indicating it was nearing completion and that portions would be deployed in planned operations.

“We ask: What is the status of that procurement? Are those cameras now in island and operational? We note the additional 1,000 approval from Cabinet, is that in addition to the further 3,000 that was already approved? What can the State do to fast-track the procurement process? Given we now have the necessary storage and IT infrastructure, according to Dr Blake, we cannot continue to bemoan procurement issues as the reasons for the body cams not being here, not with this increase and not with often-conflicting accounts between police and citizens on what transpired,” Jackson said.

Hugh Faulkner, commissioner of the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM), said the fatal shootings involving the security forces are regrettable, however he warned against any speculations before investigations are complete.

“The INDECOM position is that it is always best to bring in those who are wanted for any reason by the security forces, but once there is a fatality INDECOM is mandated to thoroughly investigate same and to produce a report — and we never fail to do that.

“In terms of the numbers, we would not want to make a comment to use one day to establish or to speculate with regard to a trend. It is a high number but we will be watching other data to see if it is trend or not,” he said.

FAULKNER… warned against any speculations before investigations are complete.