National Security Minister Meets with Grieving Families in Spring Village

Minister of National Security, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang, has met with the grieving families of persons who were attacked by gunmen in Spring Village, St. Catherine, on Sunday (September 18), and assured them of support from the police and other stakeholders.

The Minister along with Police Commissioner, Major General Antony Anderson, and other members of the Police High Command, visited the community on Wednesday (September 21), to meet with the families.

The victims were among persons attacked by the gunmen during a football match in Spring Village, where three died, and several others suffered injuries.

Dr. Chang, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, said it was a traumatic event and “we are not just concerned, but the police are doing their utmost best to find the criminals involved.”

He explained that many of the recent steps taken by the Government are aimed at preventing persons from obtaining illegal firearms, while also strengthening the police to protect citizens.

“We have to find the killers and take them out of the community… that is our pledge. We can’t take away the pain and the grief from you, but we can find them. It should not have happened, and every effort will be made to ensure that the perpetrators pay for their crimes,” Minister Chang told the residents.

He pointed out that more resources are being provided to the police to ensure that they can work with community members, adding that the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s (JCF) Community Safety and Security Branch is being expanded.

“We are looking at how we can keep the neighbourhood groups going, because we have to protect the citizens, and we need the citizens’ help in preventing these brutal criminals from operating in the way they are,” Dr. Chang said.

For his part, Commissioner Anderson said, “we already have some leads, and we are working on them.”

“Something like this doesn’t happen and no one knows. Fortunately, there are a number of people who give us information; so it is only a matter of time, and it won’t be a long time before we catch these people,” he added.