ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica — There was another bloody night in St Elizabeth after two men were killed in separate incidents in the south-central parish, increasing the total to six the number of people murdered in the parish in the last 48 hours.

The latest incidents happened in Nain and New River near Santa Cruz in the parish.

In the first incident in New River, a man was shot and killed. According to police sources, residents heard loud explosions at approximately 11:00 pm. The man’s body was found in his yard with gunshot wounds about 6:00 am the following morning.

Then in Nain, a man was chopped to death during an alleged altercation with another man early Saturday morning.

Residents say about 6:00 am, the victim accused the other man of hurling stones on his housetop. An argument reportedly developed and a machete was used to fatally chop the man. He was pronounced dead at hospital.

Following the recent flare-up of violence in the parish, Everton Fisher, the People’s National Party councillor for the Balaclava Division, appealed to residents to amicably resolve conflicts. This after three gun attacks, including a double murder in Goshen district where an uncle and his nephew were killed and a house firebombed were reported in the parish.

READ: St Elizabeth councillor urges residents to settle disputes peacefully following four murders

— Kasey Williams