Triple Homicide: The killings brought the nation’s total for the year to 102

A body was taken from the scene on Step Street in Fox Hill after three people were shot on Monday. Photo: Nikia Charlton

KALE CAMPBELL

Tribune reporter.

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THREE men were murdered in Fox Hill yesterday, bringing the number of murders for the year to three figures.

After the killings, which brought the death toll to 102, Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander again called for tougher bail conditions for people charged with murder, saying the gunman had targeted one person.

He said 178 men are currently on bail for murder, many of whom are involved in cycles of revenge.

“If we don’t put some of these people behind bars, some other people are going to die,” he said. “We don’t want innocent people involved in this.”

The shooting, which happened shortly before 4:00 p.m. on Step Street, left three men dead in a roadside garage. Police said three masked men armed with high-powered rifles opened fire from a gray car, targeting the man, who was out on bail for murder. The man survived and is currently being held for questioning.

Onlookers gathered quietly at the scene yesterday behind yellow tape, while a concerned mother asked police if one of the victims might be her child.

“You mean I have to stay up all night worrying if it’s my baby?” she asked.

Commissioner Fernander expressed relief that no children were injured in the attack, which took place in a densely populated area. He called the shooting “very brave” and urged the public to be careful about their connections, saying even being around criminals could make them targets.

The commissioner urged property owners, especially those who rent out their accommodation through Airbnb, to be vigilant as criminals can use these properties to hide out.

“They can send someone else to rent it, but you’ll find people hiding, going out to commit crimes and coming back to those places,” he said.

Although the involvement of the criminal group is still under investigation, Commissioner Fernander assured the public that the police will “smoke out” those responsible.

“We will find them,” he promised.

He also urged residents to come forward with any information or video footage that could help the investigation. “If you see something, please say something,” he said.

Yesterday’s incident was one of the deadliest shootings in recent years. In April 2021, six men died in a mass shooting on Jerome Avenue, an incident that shocked the nation. The victims, who were ambushed by gunmen in a car, were reportedly attacked shortly after one of them was released from police custody. Authorities called it a targeted act of violence. Police never charged anyone in connection with the incident.

In December 2013, a shooting in Fox Hill left four people dead and several others injured. The victims were gathered at a public event when the attackers opened fire from a passing car.