Ja’s murder toll hits 333 after 11 killings recorded last week, homicides down 20 per cent

Eleven people were murdered in Jamaica last week, between August 2 and 8, pushing the country’s murder toll to 333 since the start of the year.

The latest figures published by the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) on Sunday mark a return to double-digit weekly murders after seven people were killed during the previous week.

Despite the increase, murders remain down by about 20 per cent compared with the corresponding period last year, when 415 killings had been recorded.

Overall, major crimes have also declined by 17 per cent, with robberies, rapes, shootings and cases of persons being injured all recording decreases.

St James remains the police division with the highest number of murders, recording 41 since the start of the year.

St Andrew South and St Andrew Central follow with 27 murders each, while Clarendon has recorded 25.

St Ann and Manchester have each recorded 23 murders.

The police have vowed to maintain the downward trend in murders and further reduce the number of killings as the country enters the final five months of the year.

- Andre Williams

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