Police gun salute probe, St Elizabeth traffic fines lead Jamaica news roundup

Police in St Catherine are investigating several officers after video surfaced of a gun salute reportedly carried out at a colleague’s nine-night on Tuesday. The tribute was said to have taken place at the home of Constable Shanki Gordon, who died on June 1 after a motorcycle crash in St Catherine. JBN said the recording showed men firing multiple shots into the air, with police believed to be among them. One constable was reportedly identified, had his firearm taken on Thursday, and was placed on interdiction.

In St Thomas, returning resident Michel Jones, a 47-year-old former United States Navy sailor, has been clearing overgrown public areas at her own expense. Jones said her roadside work has grown into a broader plan for women-led volunteer cleanup teams, beginning in St Thomas and eventually extending across Jamaica. She also said she wants to reward committed teams every three months with a weekend getaway.

St Elizabeth North Eastern MP Zuleika Jess and her driver, Derek Fy, were fined in the Balaclava court after guilty pleas linked to a March 31 traffic stop on Main Street in Santa Cruz. Jess was fined $35,000 for aiding and abetting the use of a vehicle without insurance and without a valid fitness certificate. Fy was fined $55,000 after admitting to driving without insurance, driving without a fitness certificate, and using a cellphone while driving.

The St James Police Division has reported a 47.8 per cent rise in murders, with 34 killings compared with 23 for the same period in 2025. Superintendent Iron Sams told the St James Municipal Corporation that police are focusing on interpersonal disputes, hotspots including Orange, Barrett Town, Flanker and the town centre, and recent violence in Retirement and near West Gate Hills.

Opposition Leader Mark Golding also raised concern about fatal police shootings after 11 men were killed in alleged confrontations over two days. INDECOM said security forces killed 153 people between January 1 and June 10, eight more than the same period last year. Separately, Justice Minister Delroy Chuck rejected calls for justices of the peace to receive regular pay, saying the role must remain voluntary.