Police will tonight step up their presence in the western parishes — and carry out more stop and searches — after scores of text messages suggested gang warfare could break out.

This afternoon Superintendent Antoine Daniels said he was aware of the rumours and has put the necessary precautions in place, including stop and searches of vehicles and people across the Island.

“I do not want to spread fear,” he said. “But I want the community to be vigilant and aware of their surroundings. The sense of living on a peaceful island has changed somewhat recently. We don’t want people to be naive.”

The warning came at a press conference this afternoon in relation to this week’s spate of shootings which have seen two men murdered, another injured and several people witness a shooting in broad daylight on Court Street.

This year there have been four murders thanks to gun crime and 17 people have been shot.

Police say they have five suspects in the shootings of Shaki Minors and Renee Kuchler, Gary “Fingaz” Cann, who was shot dead on Tuesday night, and Kumi Harford, 30, who was shot dead on December 5.

* Full story in tomorrow’s Royal Gazette