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What a terrible way to start the year! Especially coming off last year when there was a near-record 143 murders! And that's why the police senior command the the top official at the security ministry held a press conference this morning to tell everyone to be calm, they've got it under control:...

(Ret.) Col. George Lovell, C.E.O., Ministry of National Security
"We started the new year on a sorrow note, with the murders that we have had over the last 24 hours. We saw where there have been 5, somewhat not linked, murders across the country of which while they do not speak to any sign of public terror, is of dire concern to the ministry and in deed to the entire nation."

Chester Williams, Acting ComPol
"While we may have 5 murders on new year's day, there is only one that got implication and that is the murder of Mr. Joseph Babb. The others were mostly in domestic situations or otherwise. Following the aftermath of the murder of Joseph Babb, I met with my senior command team and we have put in place several mechanisms to ensure that we avert any possible retaliation. We know that whenever we have gang related murders, there is always a chain of murders that follows thereafter. It is our hope that the efforts that have been put in place will prevent that from occurring."

Reporter
"Is mediation is also a part of this approach to try and contain any retaliation?"

Chester Williams, Acting ComPol
"We have to make sure that we employ any possible strategy that work to mitigate the situation. What we want at the end of the day is calm and if mediation will assist in achieving that calm, then by all means we must employ it."

Police said they are not entertaining any possibility of activating a limited state of emergency as they did last year, noting that only one of yesterday's murders was gang related. We'll tell you about that one a little later in the news.