This news is still breaking and I cannot find anything online other than a Facebook picture that is circulating, but two youths were shot by police this morning in the downtown area. They were allegedly involved in a robbery and had no weapons on them. Their bodies were left uncovered for an unknown amount of time.

Photo Courtesy of Roktowa Facebook page

Another story that struck me today: people cheered in a West Kingston neighbourhood after an alleged criminal was shot by police. Apparently, this fellow had been terrorizing the neighbourhood. From the story:

Apprehensive residents of West Kingston yesterday welcomed news that the community was rid of another thug, after a well-known gunman was killed by police in an alleged gun battle.

An ex-convict, recently released from prison and accused by senior police officers and residents of reigning terror on sections of Western Kingston, was fatally shot by crime-fighters.

The dead man was identified by his aliases, ‘One of Us’ and ‘Geronimo’.

Residents cheered as a team of police transported the body of the suspect to the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH), where he was pronounced dead.

It is one of those days during which I (and a lot of others, I suspect) wonder what is going on here in Jamaica. Why is it so violent? Why do people react as they do to death and violence? What were these three victims like? What kind of characters did they have? What were their names? How will their families react? How did they get involved in such activity? Why do the police shoot so many people dead, so often, here? What can be done to prevent these horrific events from ever happening again? Is that ever possible?