Tragic Incident in St. Ann: First Murder of 2024
On Monday, January 8, 2024, the parish of St. Ann was shaken by its first murder of the year. The victim, Duwayne Clarke, also known as ‘Zulu,’ aged 36 and hailing from Top Road in St. Ann’s Bay, was tragically gunned down by unknown assailants. Clarke was on bail after being charged with a murder in the parish back in 2020.
According to reports from The Gleaner, the fatal attack occurred as Clarke was walking along a road in St. Ann’s Bay. Two men exited a car that pulled up beside him and opened fire, resulting in Clarke sustaining fatal injuries. Despite efforts to save his life, Clarke was pronounced dead at the hospital
The loss of Clarke marks St. Ann’s first murder of 2024, following a troubling trend in the region. In 2023, the parish reported 79 murders, reflecting a 17.9 percent increase from the previous year. This sobering statistic positions St. Ann as having the second-highest increase in murder figures by parish, trailing only Hanover, which experienced a staggering 63.6 percent rise. The broader context for Jamaica is equally concerning, with a total of 1,393 reported murders in 2023.
This tragic incident serves as a sobering reminder of the ongoing challenges faced by the community and the need for concerted efforts to address these troubling trends.