Prime Minister Andrew Holness has announced a State of Public Emergency in the Kingston Western and Kingston Central Police divisions, initially for 14 days.
According to the Prime Minister, the current state of crime in the divisions can spiral to “chaotic ends”.
He says there has been an increase in gang activities in Kingston as well as extortion in the market district and the South Coast Highway project.
There has been a near 100 per cent increase in murders in the Kingston Western police division since the start of the year.
Some 22 more persons were murdered up to June 6 when compared with the similar period last year.
At the same time, shootings have been up by 51.7 per cent.
Last week, thugs set ablaze the popular ‘Ray Ray’ market after a gun battle with the police and soldiers in the section of West Kingston known as Lizard Town.
The police theorised that the market was set on fire as a diversion for the hoodlums to escape from the gun battle.
In May, an eight-year-old girl was shot dead in Denham Town, also in the Kingston Western police division.
IN PHOTO: Police investigators on the scene of the murder in Tivoli Gardens, Kingston.
The murder is thought to be a reprisal for the killing of a 15-year-old boy by rival gunmen in the nearby Tivoli Gardens.
Meanwhile, since the start of the year up to June 6, there has been a 46.7 per cent increase in murders in the Kingston Central police division compared with the similar period last year.
Shooting has also been up by 43.8 per cent.
The latest state of emergency means the entire capital has now being blanketed by the security measure.
Previously, only the St Andrew Southern and Kingston Eastern Police divisions were under the security measure.
The parishes of St James, Westmoreland, Hanover, Clarendon and St Catherine are also under SOEs.
