Residents set police vehicle ablaze in St Catherine

(Jamaica Gleaner) – Angry residents last night set fire to a police service vehicle in Kitson Town, St Catherine to protest against a police killing.

The residents claim that the police shot and killed a member of their community last night, without reason.

The police say the man was shot dead after he and another man opened fire on a patrol team which was conducting surveillance in Kitson Town.

It’s reported that shortly before 8 o’clock while on patrol, a police party came under gunfire from two men.

The police say the fire was returned and during the gun battle, one man was shot dead.
A home-made firearm was reportedly seized.

The other man is reported to have escaped.
Scores of angry residents later converged on the scene and rejected the police’s account of the incident.

They then protested by setting the police service vehicle on fire, destroying it before help could reach to bring the situation under control.