In response to a tragic mass shooting that claimed eight lives, including that of a seven-year-old boy, and left multiple others injured in Cherry Tree Lane, Clarendon, the Jamaican government has declared a 14-day state of emergency (SOE) in the parish.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced the SOE during a press conference at the Office of the Prime Minister on Wednesday, emphasizing the need to prevent potential reprisals following the deadly attack. According to Holness, intelligence suggests a “very high probability” of retaliatory violence, which prompted the swift imposition of the emergency measure.
Deputy Prime Minister and National Security Minister Dr. Horace Chang, who was also present at the briefing, explained that the decision was based on the government’s assessment of the high levels of violent crime in Clarendon. He noted that the ongoing gang-related violence in the parish had reached a critical point, posing a significant threat to public safety.
“This large single-day account of murders within the parish of Clarendon is attributed to ongoing violence within the division that had reached a tenuous magnitude, resulting in the eventual perpetration of murders as a means of intimidation, and further, as a form of reprisal as gangs seek to dominate existing turfs,” Chang stated.
Prime Minister Holness assured the public that security forces have been fully mobilized across Clarendon to enforce the SOE and to prevent further violence. He stressed that the measure is not intended to disrupt the lives of law-abiding citizens but to protect them.
“The security forces will be using this additional power in a very targeted and strategic way, while ensuring that the human rights of citizens are protected,” Holness said. “The rights of the victims, clearly, in my opinion, should take priority, but we also have a duty as a civilised country to show the criminals that we act within the law.”
Holness praised the conduct of the police force in the aftermath of Sunday’s mass shooting, commending their professionalism, strategic approach, and targeted operations.
The state of emergency will remain in effect for 14 days, with government officials closely monitoring the situation in Clarendon.
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