(Jamaica Observer) Police from the West Kingston Police Division on Saturday fatally shot three men who had allegedly engaged them in a shoot-out in Federal Gardens, a tough inner-city community in St Andrew.

The police said they recovered three hand guns — two 9mm pistols and a .357 Magnum revolver from the scene.

One of the men has been identified only as ‘Tallman’, while the other two have not yet been identified.

Head of crime for the division, Deputy Superintendent Arthur Brown, said the police were patrolling on Third Street when the incident occurred.

“We decided to carry out an operation in the area and we saw a group of men, confronted them and they challenged us. We protected ourselves and three of them were taken out,” Brown said.

A policeman was “grazed on the right side of the neck” by a bullet, and was last evening being treated at hospital, the police said.

The incident happened about 4:30 pm.

Police say the communities of Wilton Gardens, popularly known as ‘Rema’, and Federal Gardens have been tense in recent times as rival gangs have been engaged in a dispute.