About 50 members of the Cedar Hill community turned up to a prayer vigil this evening in response to recent violent incidents in the area.

The event at the Cedar Hill Salvation Army car park was organised by the Garden Ministry and partners.

The call came about a week after two men were injured in a shooting in the Cedar Heights Lane area.

Aged 53 and 38, they suffered multiple gunshot wounds, but their injuries were not life-threatening.

Chaplain Santucci said: “This is primarily in response to the attempted murder, the attempt on life, Thursday past.

“We can’t let our communities run away from us so I contacted key stakeholders. Here we have it.

“I know that it takes more than just coming together. It takes some ongoing steps, this is just the first of many steps we would like to take to bring back a spirit of culture in our communities of which we can all be happy and not feel that we are threatened by anyone or anything.

“If we don’t do it now, who is going to do it? We don’t have to wait for a stray bullet to take the life of anybody else.

“The Government and law enforcement must play their part but the community must take responsibility as well. This is one of the things that we as a community can do.”

Partners included The Salvation Army and its band which performed music throughout the vigil. Others included the New Testament Church of God, church leaders and other reputable persons within the community.

Neville Tyrell, MP for constituency 26, was present as was Douglas De Couto, candidate for constituency 25. The recent shootings took place in constituency 27.

Mr Tyrell said: “It is important that we have the community together. The issue is community based. It is sad that our young children are going the wrong way but at the same time they need guidance and this is something we should show as an example.

“We are here to talk to them, some of them feel that we don’t want to speak to them, maybe we don’t speak their language all the time but at the same time we are still open to help them.”

Dr De Couto said: “This neighbourhood and the whole parish has had quite a lot of violence over the last several years including recently right around the corner. I am glad to be here as one of the voices at this vigil.

“I know that children are affected by this. Through my canvassing, I met a young girl in this neighbourhood and for six months she couldn’t sit in her own bedroom after there was a shooting around the corner. imagine that multiplied by all the families.”

Lieutenant Amy Patrick of The Salvation Army said: “This island, our world, is fraught with darkness and negativity but that doesn't define who we are. We are not alone, there is hope and there is light.“

Others shared words of reflection including Ras Mykall, who shared social commentary in the form of a poem, and Bishop Rudolph Ebbin who shared a prayer.

Police have urged witnesses to come forward, particularly anyone who may have seen two people speeding on a motorcycle immediately after the shooting, which took place at about 9.10pm on November 21.