Following Sunday’s deadly mass shooting in St. Catherine, six people, including two minors, were shot during a drive-by shooting on Tuesday night in central Kingston.
The injured individuals have not yet been identified by name, but initial reports indicate that two 9-year-olds and two teens were among the victims. One of the teenagers who was shot is reportedly disabled.
According to reports, the shooting occurred at the intersection of Text Lane and Charles Street. At approximately 8:50 p.m., a white car drove onto Text Lane, then onto Charles Street, and four armed men proceeded to shoot at the group of people indiscriminately.
The assailants quickly fled the scene, leaving the victims nursing multiple gunshot wounds. The alleged getaway vehicle can be seen speeding down a narrow roadway on CCTV footage after the shooting.
The vehicle seemingly hit a parked car as it sped away from the crime scene. After the shooting, the injured victims were transported to the Kingston Public Hospital, and no fatalities have been reported.
According to reports, one of the injured men, who was initially reported dead, was admitted in critical condition and continues to fight for his life. The two youngest victims were transferred to the Bustamante Hospital for Children for further treatment.
Three other victims received treatment for their injuries and were subsequently released. As the area had been relatively calm, with Kingston Central marking a 35% decline in murders so far this year, the incident took residents by surprise. Beresford Williams, the head of the Kingston Central Police division, shared with The Jamaica Observer that his officers are taking steps to prevent reprisals.
