Two teenage girls were injured by gunfire during New Year’s celebrations in separate communities. This comes after police issued multiple warnings against illegal gun salutes, which some people blatantly ignored.
Both incidents occurred shortly after midnight as the new year began, police confirmed. One of the teens was identified as a 13-year-old Canadian native. She came to Jamaica to visit family at a residence along Dreamland Drive in Portmore, St. Catherine.
The victim was shot while she stood on a balcony watching fireworks moments after 12:00 a.m. Amid the celebration, residents heard separate explosions ring out in the community. The teen abruptly began feeling sharp pain in both her back and her thigh. She realized she had been injured and raised an alarm, leading to her being transported to the hospital. The teen remains hospitalized, but her condition was described as stable.
The second teen, a 14-year-old girl in Kingston, was struck by bullets when she was sitting outside. Reports say the victim was relaxing under a tree in her neighborhood when the suspected illegal gun salute occurred in the area. The teen realized she was hurt when she checked her shoulder after feeling a burning sensation. She was transported to the hospital and has since been receiving treatment for the shoulder wound. Her condition is also stable, per reports.
Police believe both girls were injured as a result of illegal gun salutes carried out during New Year’s celebrations. In the wake of the new year, the Jamaica Constabulary Force had strongly warned against participating in such illegal activities. Following the incidents, officials denounced them, describing the actions behind them as reckless and irresponsible.
Firing weapons into the air is illegal and poses a serious risk to the public. Bullets discharged during gun salutes do not disappear but eventually return to the ground, often with devastating consequences for unsuspecting victims. Investigators from the St. Catherine South and Kingston Western police divisions have launched probes into both shootings. Detectives are working to determine where the shots originated and who discharged the weapons.
Police have also encouraged the public to assist in finding these lawbreakers by contacting Crime Stop at 311, the National Intelligence Bureau at 811, the Police Emergency number at 119, or the nearest police station if they have relevant information.