“It’s astounding to think that a lot of people think that Jamaica is a paradise but it is an extraordinarily violent country with a remarkable murder rate,” said Banfield on her program ‘Legal View’.

She made the comments after CNN reported on two US missionaries that were killed in an impoverished Jamaican community, where they were trying to build homes.

While Jamaica is renown for its high crime rate, social media users nevertheless  slammed the anchor for having a “shaky grasp” of the country’s crime reality and for sensationalizing the problem.

Others took issue with the way newspaper stories, in general, report on crime and violence that can create a certain perception about people and places.

One social media user noted that the way the anchor framed the story attached a stigma to the country as it relates to tourists and foreigners; rather than informing readers about the context in which crime and violence occur in Jamaica.

The social media poster went on to stress that violence in Jamaica is not usually targeted at foreigners or tourists.

“That’s why I don’t watch CNN. What Ashleigh Banfield said about this situation was terrible and misleading. There is violence everywhere! It’s sad she had to put down my favorite destination and people,” said one person on Facebook.

“Extraordinarily”? Sigh… If you listen to them, man,”added another commentator.

Law enforcement officers from multiple US agencies along with the local police are investigating the killing of the two US missionaries in St Mary, Jamaica.