A new report on Latin America and the Caribbean has revealed that Jamaica now has the region’s highest homicide rate at just over forty-six (46) murders per 1-hundred- thousand people.

The United Nations considers any homicide rate of 10 per 100,000 citizens or above to be an “epidemic.”

Eight murders were committed in the police area four-space, over a 72-hour period, between last Friday and Sunday, January 31.

The Kingston West, Kingston central and Kingston east police divisions were mainly affected. On Saturday night five people were shot at a bar on the corner of East Queen Street and Gold Street. Other shooting incidents were also reported in trench town and Denham Town.

And Sunday morning another five people were shot and injured in Franklyn Town including a mother and a daughter. The mother later died.

Operations officer for area four Senior Superintendent Steve Mcgregor says ninety percent of these criminal activities are gang-related. SSP Mcgregor is urging residents to leave reprisal acts to the police, as innocent people are being killed.

The Jamaica Labor Party (JLP) councilor for the Rae Town Division in Kingston central Rosalie Hamilton says political representatives must be held accountable in some instances.

More details in this report: