Jamaican authorities in Puerto Rico have detained six individuals linked to a tragic shooting incident that claimed the lives of eight individuals in the southern part of the island. The most recent arrest was made on Thursday, as announced by the police department. The incident involved seven individuals losing their lives in one shooting, with an eighth fatality occurring soon after in a related shooting. Shockingly, among the deceased was a 7-year-old child. Furthermore, nine individuals sustained injuries during the initial shooting, which took place at a birthday celebration in Clarendon parish, situated west of the capital city of Kingston. Notably, a baby was among the injured individuals. According to Deputy Police Commissioner Fitz Bailey, the shootings stemmed from deep-seated feuds between former acquaintances who had a falling out in the United States due to illicit gains. This conflict led to them seeking homicidal contracts to instill fear and terror in one another.

The gravity of the situation prompted Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness to announce a state of emergency and express concerns about potential retaliatory killings. The alarming incident underscores Jamaica’s ongoing struggle with high levels of violence. In a report by Insight Crime, Jamaica was registered as the second-deadliest nation in the Caribbean and Latin America in the previous year, with nearly 61 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants.