A murder was reportedly prevented when police killed three of four contracted killers in St Ann during an alleged shootout. The Wednesday incident claimed the lives of three men in the community of Runaway Bay. A woman, believed to be the group’s fourth member, escaped during the confrontation.
One of the deceased men has been identified as Dickie Bonnick, a well-known violence producer who faced two separate murder charges. According to the police, Bonnick was out on bail for said charges when officers killed him. Bonnick, who was 38 years old and originally from Runaway Bay, was reportedly under strict bail conditions that barred him from re-entering the parish.
According to police reports, Bonnick and the group arrived in Salem, Runaway Bay, shortly after 3 p.m. on Wednesday. Investigators believe the group had travelled from Kingston to carry out a contract killing.
According to Nationwide News, the group was unaware that law enforcement had been keeping tabs on their movements since they left the Corporate Area.
Over several hours, the group visited multiple bars in the Salem area, purchasing rounds of drinks. It was at a final stop in a section known as Back Street that police made their move. Officers challenged the group after one of the men allegedly requested a woman from the bartender.
This led to a gunfight around 8:50 p.m. During the alleged shootout, Bonnick and the two other men were shot. The trio were pronounced dead after arriving at a nearby hospital. Meanwhile, their fourth accomplice, the woman, managed to flee during the alleged shootout, and her condition remains unknown.
After the shootout, police reportedly found an illegal 9mm pistol and an illegal AK-47 rifle at the scene. They also recovered fourteen rounds of ammunition.
According to the report, Bonnick had been charged with the 2020 murder of Patrick Spence. He allegedly killed Spence with an alleged accomplice named Everett Duncan. Bonnick was later charged with the murder of his accomplice after Duncan reportedly implicated him with a confession to the police. Despite court appearances as recently as March 2025, Bonnick’s criminal run ended in the very parish he was forbidden to enter.