KINGSTON, Jamaica – Opposition Spokesman on National Security, Derrick Smith has joined portfolio minister Peter Bunting in condemning Thursday night’s gruesome attack on a family of 10 in Logwood, Hanover.

So far, the police have confirmed that six have died while four remain in hospital.

In a release from the Security Ministry, Bunting said he “cannot imagine the pain and grief being experienced by the friends and relatives of this family, absolutely nothing can justify this wanton and wicked act. As Jamaicans we must ask ourselves: how did we as a society become so callous and evil?”

He added that the security forces have been working around the clock to prevent these senseless acts of violence and commended the police for what he describes as swift and professional response to the situation and assured the public that they will not be deterred in their efforts to reverse the increase in violence and murders in Jamaica.

Meanwhile, Smith noted the increasingly shocking and frequent incidents of murder, especially in areas not typically considered crime hotspots, must see the Government acting decisively and demonstrate that it is serious about fighting crime.  

The Opposition spokesman said in a release a short while ago that Police Commissioner Dr Carl Williams should give assurance, given the horrific and dastardly nature of the Hanover massacre, that the perpetrators will be apprehended and brought to justice in the shortest possible time.

“It is not good enough for the minister to merely visit crime scenes and tour communities in the wake of horrific incidents of crime, especially when that same minister has been ignoring calls to address the nation on the unrelenting spike in murders and outline the Government’s policies and strategies to address the crime problem,” Smith charged.

The minister and the opposition spokesman both called for Jamaicans to take a stand against criminality and those with information to make it available to the police.