While many are cowering as a result of the country's alarming murder rate, the bloodletting continued in the troubled parishes of St. James and Clarendon.

This follows the shooting death of two brothers on Wednesday night and the slaying of three other men in separate incidents in the parishes Wednesday and Thursday night.

The two brothers, 35-year-old mason, Richard Beckford and 33-year-old Easton Beckford were reportedly killed by gunmen in the volatile Green Pond community of St. James on Wednesday.

According to police reports, residents heard explosions in the Capital Heights area of Green Pond at about 9:00 p.m. However, the dead bodies of the two brothers were not discovered until Thursday morning inside Richard's home.

Also, 28-year-old Romeo Williams was shot and killed on Wednesday night while he enjoyed a drink at a bar in 19 Miles, Clarendon.

According to police reports, Williams who is of Inverness Lane in Sandy Bay was in a bar when two armed men entered and immediately opened fire hitting him several times.

The gunmen then made good their escape on foot.

Williams was rushed to the May Pen Hospital where he died.

Twenty-nine-year old Dwight Doman from Canaan Heights in Clarendon also died by the cruel hands of gunmen on Thursday.

Residents reportedly heard explosions coming from behind a shop and summoned the police who later found Mr. Domain's dead body at around 8:00 p.m.

Yet again in Clarendon, 26-year-old Damion Cunningham of Raymonds, in Hayes was fatally shot by gunmen.

According to police reports, Mr. Cunningham was among a group of persons in Newton Square at about 6:00 p.m. when he received a phone call. He reportedly then rode off on his motor cycle.

Shortly after, explosions were heard and Mr. Cunningham's body was found with gunshot wounds.

He was taken to hospital where he died.

The police have not yet determined the motives of these killings.

Head of the Clarendon police, Superintendent Radcliffe Lewis has called on the Government to declare a state of emergency in Clarendon and St. James among other divisions.

Superintendent Lewis in a previous interview said crime has escalated overwhelmingly and added that the state of emergency would give the police more power to deal the situation.

He said, "the other divisions with serious crime problems are St. James, St. Catherine North and South and the Corporate Area," before adding that "the Jamaica Defence Force should also be deployed to assist the police in crime fighting."

National Security Minister, Derrick Smith however ruled out carrying out such an action.

Mr. Smith simply mentioned that investing additional power into the police officers under a state of emergency is not necessary.