By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

Three deaths in 24 hours have pushed the country's murder toll to 87 for the year.

In the first incident, according to Officer-in-Charge of the Central Detective Unit, Assistant Commissioner of Police Clayton Fernander, residents in the Hospital Lane community reported hearing gunshots around 10pm Thursday, however responding officers were unable to locate a scene.

ACP Fernander said police then received reports Friday morning, shortly after 8am, that a body was discovered in the passenger seat of vehicle just off Hospital Lane.

ACP Fernander said officers established a perimeter around the scene, and investigators were called.

The victim is believed to be in his mid 30's, according to police.

In the second incident, police discovered the body of a man believed to be in his early 20's, in bushes just south of Step Street, Fox Hill.

ACP Fernander said residents reported sounds of gunshots around 3am Friday, but a discovery wasn't made until 9am.

Speaking to the press at the scene, ACP Fernander said the victim was identified as a resident of the area.

ACP Fernander also confirmed that police had taken a man into custody for questioning in connection with the matter.

Then shortly after 9.00pm, a man was standing in front of his home off Kemp Road, when the occupants of a silver Honda Fit car pulled up and shot him before speeding off. The man was transported to hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.

Speaking before the third incident, ACP Fernander said: "We are appealing to members of the public, with respect to both matters, who would have been in the areas and would have heard, as we indicated gunshots were fired so someone may have heard or seen something, to please come forth to assist with (these) investigations.

"We are also encouraging members of the public to, things like this where you would hear gunshots being fired, please reach out to the police, reach out to your commanders."

ACP Fernander, flanked by several senior officers, added: "Let's try to build relationships with your commanders so that incidents like this, where you heard shots or any information, to reach out to the commander so that they will be able to respond to these things."

He concluded by insisting that any information obtained by police, from residents, will be kept in the strictest confidence to ensure the long-term safety of those persons.

Police on Friday were unable to publicly name the first two victims, but noted that their preliminary investigations had yielded identities in both cases.

Anyone with information on these incidents is asked to call police at 919 or Crime Stoppers at 328-TIPS.