IN JAMAICA : 14 y-o JAZIANNE COLE Killed....Police step up operations in Kingston West as gunmen continue rampage

BY KIMMO MATTHEWS Observer staff reporter matthewsk@jamaicaobserver.com  Friday, August 21, 2015  

POLICE have stepped up their operations to clamp down on criminals who, on Wednesday, shot and killed a 14-year-old girl and injured two others in separate incidents in the Kingston Western Police Division, headed by Senior Superintendent Cornwall 'Bigga' Ford.

Bigga Ford

Police reported that about 4:00 pm on Wednesday Jazianne Cole, a student from a prominent Kingston school, was standing on Tulip Lane when members from rival gangs launched an attack against each other.

"The teenager was standing on the road when she was shot as members from two gangs in the community opened fire against each other," Detective Inspector Phillip McIntosh told the Jamaica Observer.

Police said the injured child was taken to hospital where she was pronounced dead.

One man, police said, has since been held in connection with the death of the girl.

In the other incident, police reported that approximately 3:30 pm the same day a group of men went to Second Street, Trench Town, where they opened fire, injuring a man and a woman. Both have been admitted to hospital.

The latest shootings have caused more fear among residents of Kingston Western, who have had a number of gun attacks in their communities over the past few months.

"Right now, this latest set of attacks have left people in the area concerned; there seem to be no end in sight to this ongoing violence," said one resident.

Police, however, sought to assure the fearful residents that they were doing everything to apprehend those responsible for the brutal attacks.

"...We now have the situation under control and will be increasing our presence in the community to capture persons wreaking havoc in and around the area," said one senior officer.

The police have, meanwhile, repeated a call for residents to support the police in the fight against crime.

"The police will continue to increase their presence in the communities as many times these criminals will flee from the area and return, but we need residents to start informing the police about their movements," said McIntosh. more