A manhunt has been launched in St Catherine following a brutal early morning attack involving six teens at Hellshire Beach in Portmore. The group were robbed, sexually assaulted, and injured on November 4 by a gunman.
The suspect, who remains at large, is wanted for several serious offences, including assault occasioning bodily harm, forcible abduction, shooting with intent, and grievous sexual assault.
According to police reports, the group was celebrating a birthday around 3:00 a.m. on Tuesday at Hellshire when a man armed with a shotgun showed up. The group were on the shore at the time and saw the gunman approach them.
One of the victims sustained visible injuries when the man swung his gun, striking the victim in the head. Afterwards, the teens were forced to go to another part of the beach by the suspect. He allegedly robbed them of their cell phones before committing a series of violent and degrading acts. Two of the females in the group were reportedly sexually assaulted during the ordeal.
After the attacks, the man fired his gun and ordered the terrified victims to leave the area. Moon-10 understands that none of the victims sustained any wounds inflicted by a gunshot.
According to the report, the authorities were made aware of the incident when the teens quickly sought help after they were allowed to leave the beach. A report was made to the Portmore Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB), and law enforcement officers have since begun probing the attack.
In response to the Hellshire Beach attack, Jamaicans have voiced their anger and disbelief online. Many commenters demanded swift justice over the disturbing incident and called for the attacker to be captured and punished. “The culprits must be found and dealt with,” one person wrote, echoing the sentiment of dozens who shared frustration over the crime and empathy for the victims.