ST JAMES, Jamaica — Hundreds of residents of the Granville community heeded an official appeal from local law enforcement and gathered for a peaceful demonstration Sunday, amplifying long-simmering outrage over a string of controversial fatal police shootings that have left multiple community members dead. Clad entirely in black and carrying hand-painted placards outlining their demands, protesters chanted unified slogans calling for an immediate end to police brutality and formal justice for Latoya Bulgin, a woman locally known as Buju, who was killed by police last week during what officers described as an alleged confrontation. The gathering marked one of the most organized displays of public discontent over police violence the region has seen in recent months. What many attendees do not widely know is that Bulgin was on her way to join a separate protest for 17-year-old Tjey Edwards when she was shot. Edwards was killed under nearly identical circumstances just one week earlier, on May 10. The deaths of Bulgin and Edwards are not the only cases driving community anger; protesters also placed heavy focus on a New Year’s Day shooting that left four-year-old Romaine Bowman and two adult men dead, pushing the nation’s total tally of fatal police shootings to 130 for the current period. Independent Commission of Investigations (Indecom) has already issued a public appeal for witnesses to come forward with information on the Granville killings, but residents say little tangible progress has been made to hold officers accountable. In a break from past protests that resulted in road blockades and clashes with police, Sunday’s demonstration remained entirely peaceful, a change that came directly in response to an appeal from Parish Police Chief Senior Superintendent Eron Samuels. During a community meeting held last Thursday, Samuels made clear that any demonstration that included road blockages would be immediately shut down by law enforcement. Abiding by this request, protesters confined their main gathering to Granville Square, with plans to stage a peaceful march through residential neighborhoods later in the day. The call for peaceful action was echoed by Marlene Malahoo Forte, the Member of Parliament for St James West Central, who met directly with protesters Sunday to hear their concerns. “I am happy that in the search for answers, the peace is still being maintained though we know it is a fragile peace,” Forte told Jamaica’s Observer Online in an on-site interview. “I continue to say to everyone, stay on the right side of the law and I am really hoping that this incident is not treated as just another incident, let the steam blow off and blow and we continue as usual. There are genuine questions and genuine concerns and I am keeping faith that we are going to come out better for this and I really hope that we don’t have another incident,” she added. Despite commitments from local officials to move forward with investigations, protesters remain resolute in their demands, with many vowing to continue demonstrations until they see verifiable progress in the cases, particularly that of Bulgin. One of Bulgin’s sons, who joined Sunday’s protest, spoke publicly about his family’s grief and the widespread fear now gripping the community. “I need justice for me and my family and all of the residents in Granville and also all around Jamaica. It is unfair for us to lose her life no reason, my mother died for no reason and all of us fear for our lives right now,” he said. “We fear who should be protecting us from danger and this is not right. Justice for Latoya Bulgin, Justice for Tjey Edwards, Justice for everyone who died to police brutality,” he declared. The officer at the center of Bulgin’s killing has already been placed on interdiction pending the outcome of the investigation, but the victim’s son says that is not enough. He is adamant that the officer should face severe criminal consequences for the shooting. “I want justice, that police should be in prison right now,” he insisted.