The country’s murder count climbed to 97 Monday after a man’s partially clothed bullet riddled body was found lying in the street.

The unidentified man, believed to be either in his mid 20s or early 30s, was found just before noon on a street just behind the PDX Affordable Air Freight Solutions store just off Tonique Williams Darling Highway.

Police Press Liaison Officer Inspector Chrislyn Skippings said police had no information about what exactly happened to the man, but she did confirm that the victim was found with gunshot wounds to the upper body.

“At present we cannot say what the circumstances are surrounding this particular incident, however, we want to make a general plea to members of the public who may have any information or who may have been in this particular area shortly before noon [Monday] and you may have seen someone running from the area or you may have seen a vehicle speeding from the area, we want to ask you to give us a call at our police department,” Inspector Skippings said while briefing reporters at the scene of yesterday’s incident.

While the victim’s body was found lying in the street, it is unknown whether that is where the incident occurred.

Inspector Skippings hinted that he may have been shot in nearby bushes then ran and collapsed at the area his body found.

Police are also trying to determine the identity of the man and are appealing to members of the public who may have male relatives unaccounted for to come forward.

This is the ninth murder to have occurred since October 6. Last year, the murder count reached 127.