By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

THREE men were murdered in Fox Hill yesterday, pushing the year’s murder count for the year into the triple digits.

After the killings, which brought the murder tally to 102, Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander renewed his call for stricter bail conditions for people accused of murder, claiming the gunman targetted one.

He revealed that 178 men are currently on bail for murder, with many involved in cycles of retaliation.

“If we don’t get some of these individuals behind bars, some other people will die,” he said. “We don’t want innocent persons caught up in this.”

The shooting, which occurred shortly before 4pm on Step Street, left three men dead in a roadside garage. Police said three masked men armed with high-powered rifles opened fire from a grey vehicle, targeting a man on bail for murder. That man survived and is now in custody for questioning.

Onlookers quietly gathered behind a yellow tape at the scene yesterday, while a worried mother asked officers if one of the victims might be her child.

“You mean I have to stay up all night worried to see if that’s my child?” she asked.

Commissioner Fernander expressed relief that no children were harmed in the attack, which took place in a densely populated area. He called the shooting “very bold” and urged the public to be cautious of their associations, saying that even being around criminals could make them targets.

The commissioner called on property owners, particularly those renting out homes via Airbnb, to be vigilant, as criminals may be using these properties to hide.

“They may send somebody else to rent it, but you will find individuals hiding out, coming out to commit crimes and returning to these places,” he said.

While gang involvement is still under investigation, Commissioner Fernander assured the public that police would “smoke out” those responsible.

“We will find them,” he vowed.

He also urged residents to come forward with any information or security footage that could assist in the investigation. “If you see something, please say something,” he said.

Yesterday’s incident was among the deadliest shooting incidents in years. In April 2021, six men were killed in a mass shooting on Jerome Avenue, an incident that shocked the nation. The victims, reportedly ambushed by gunmen in a vehicle, were attacked shortly after one was released from police custody. Authorities called it a targeted act of violence. Police never charged anyone in connection with the incident.

In December 2013, a drive-by shooting in Fox Hill left four people dead and several others injured. The victims were gathered at a community event when assailants opened fire from a passing vehicle.