Warring gangs spur violence in St Andrew South

Following the tragic deaths of two people in Seaview Gardens, Superintendent Damian Manderson, commanding officer for the St Andrew South Police Division, is urging Jamaicans to remain vigilant and cooperative, especially as the festive season approaches.

"If you see something, say something. People come in your community, you don't know them, talk to us! Because there is that probability that they're hiding something or they're hiding from someone," Manderson said. The division continues to grapple with high levels of crime. In 2023, it recorded 111 murders, the highest in the country, and, up to this month, had already recorded 107 murders. Manderson attributed this to gangs and gangsters "both locally, behind bars, [and] overseas who are bent on controlling turf, controlling individuals, directing what takes place when, how and at their own pace and timing".

The most recent murder that happened in the division was around 9:45 a.m. on Thursday when the bodies of 49-year-old Fabian Edwards and an unidentified woman were discovered with multiple gunshot wounds in a shed next to a container along Pacific Boulevard.

Manderson told THE WEEKEND STAR that, although investigations are ongoing, Edwards was deported from the US some years ago and was well known to the police for being associated with criminals and criminal activities. He said police recovered a semi-automatic pistol loaded with 11 rounds of ammunition from the scene. He noted that increased gang violence often spills into public spaces and gatherings, raising the risk of mass incidents. As a precaution, law enforcement officials frequently impose curfews or deny permits for events in hotspots, to minimise potential violence.

"Truth be told is, one can never determine who attends a public event. And so it is critical to ensure that you do whatever possible to curtail such movements of individuals who may very well appear and then confrontations and mass incidents unfold," Manderson said. He said there will be an assessment of Seaview Gardens and, if necessary, a curfew will be implemented to ensure the safety of residents.