7 Killed on Heroes Day

Jamaica’s National Heroes Day is observed to honour individuals who have made significant contributions to the fight for freedom and nation building. This did not stop criminals from taking the lives of seven Jamaicans on it’s latest iteration.

According to the Commissioner of Police Owen Ellington 16 persons were also shot by gunmen between Saturday and Sunday.

Following this, the commissioner renewed his call for legislation to impose mandatory minimum sentences for persons who commit serious crimes.

One of the victims of Monday’s grievous crimes was a young woman who was robbed earlier this year. She is 27-year-old Sasha-Gay Coffee, legal clerk of West Cumberland, Greater Portmore, St Catherine.

According to Ellington, she was at her home when the robbery suspect attacked her, shooting her in the head and in the stomach. She later died at hospital. Reports are that a suspect has since been detained by the police.

Ellington stated that despite an average of 600 illegal guns seized in Jamaica each year – with the police taking 40 off the streets in the last month – criminals appear to have easy access to firearms and ammunition.

The police indicated that a large percentage of the guns recovered in Jamaica had their origin in the United States; however, he said, some of the illegal firearms entered Jamaica from other countries through the drug trade.

Over 1,000 Jamaicans lose their lives to violence each year.

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