New Year cheers turn to tears as gun salutes wound two teens

Despite repeated warnings from the police, two teenage girls are now nursing gunshot wounds believed to have resulted from separate incidents of illegal gun salutes during New Year's celebrations.

In one incident, about 12:02 a.m. on Thursday, January 1, 2026, a 13-year-old Canadian national who was visiting relatives was standing on a balcony along Dreamland Drive in Portmore, St Catherine, watching fireworks when she was struck by bullets.

Police said moments after midnight, loud explosions were heard and the teen felt sharp pains to her thigh and back. She was assisted to hospital, where she was admitted in stable condition.

In a similar incident around the same time, a 14-year-old girl of Bond Street in Kingston was injured while sitting under a tree in her community. The teenager reported feeling a burning sensation to her shoulder, and it was later discovered that she had been shot. She was also taken to hospital, where she remains in stable condition.

The Jamaica Constabulary Force has strongly condemned the reckless and irresponsible behaviour, once again reminding the public that gun salutes are illegal, extremely dangerous and pose a serious threat to innocent lives.

Police said the incidents underscore the real and devastating consequences of discharging firearms indiscriminately.

Investigations into both shootings are ongoing, with detectives from the St Catherine South and Kingston Western police divisions working to determine the source of the gunfire and identify those responsible.

The police are urging anyone with information that could assist the investigations to contact Crime Stop at 311, the National Intelligence Bureau at 811, the Police Emergency number at 119, or the nearest police station.

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