Four men and a child were fatally shot during multiple police operations just as the new year began. Reports say the four armed men challenged the police, while the child was allegedly killed by a stray bullet, all around 12:05 a.m., across multiple locations.
The child and two of the men were killed in Granville, St James, in the early hours of New Year’s Day. According to preliminary accounts, members of the security forces received information about an illegal gun salute that was unfolding just after midnight in celebration of the new year.
When police arrived at the area, they were reportedly attacked by two armed men. Shots were fired at the officers, prompting them to exchange fire. The two men sustained gunshot wounds and succumbed to their injuries.
Meanwhile, four residents, including a four-year-old child, were reportedly caught in the crossfire. The child was later pronounced dead after being transported to the hospital. Unconfirmed reports allege that the child was inside a nearby house when bullets entered the dwelling. Officials have not confirmed those claims. The child was later pronounced dead after being transported to the hospital.
Following the incident, police said they recovered an AK-47 rifle at the scene. Later that morning, residents responded to the incident with fury. A protest was staged in the streets, which were blocked by items such as old furniture and appliances.
The protestors gathered with placards, and they accused the security forces of acting recklessly. “They killed the baby, a four-year-old baby,” one woman told reporters, while another resident said that police “shoot now and ask questions after.”
Several residents claimed that after the shooting, officers were asking about the whereabouts of wanted men. During the protest, they requested the assistance of the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) and other oversight bodies to probe the incident. One resident warned that roadblocks would resume if their concerns were not addressed.
Meanwhile, the other alleged police confrontations occurred in the Kingston Western and St Andrew North divisions. The third man was fatally shot in Olympic Gardens, Kingston. After the shots subsided, police reportedly retrieved a Beretta pistol and a magazine containing three rounds of ammunition at the scene.
The fourth man was killed in St Andrew’s North, where police were carrying out an operation. The deceased, later identified as 29-year-old Shamar Turner, was fatally shot in the Big Yard area off Mannings Hill Road. After the police confrontation ended, there was an illegal firearm on the scene that the police seized. Reports have confirmed that each incident is being probed.