Gangsters engage cops on Plum Lane

Gangsters engaged a divisional commander and members of his team twice in a fierce shoot-out after the police went to shut down a dance on Plum Lane, Whitehall Avenue in St Andrew, on Monday night.

The Gleaner understands that following the gun battle, which occurred about 10:30 pm, a police service vehicle and three other cars parked along the roadway were damaged.

There was no serious injury to the policemen and the gunmen made good their escape from the area.

Senior Superintendent in charge of the St Andrew North Police Division Aaron Fletcher told The Gleaner that he had to take cover behind a perimeter wall while engaging the gunmen who were still firing at the police.

SSP Fletcher said: “We are aware that they have departed from the space, but we continue to do our groundwork, and I can assure the perpetrators that this one, this brazen attack on the police, will not be allowed to just slip away like that without them being called upon to account. They will be called upon to account.”

The police have so far arrested eight persons and say more people will be prosecuted as they know who the promoters are, as well as the main players in the gun battle.

They say they are in possession of vital evidence.

SSP Fletcher told The Gleaner: “At least one of the men inadvertently dropped his identification card, bank card, and a photograph of what appears to be, I presume, his young child. That thus far has been assisting us.”

The police say other members responsible for the attack on the police are “well-known players in the criminal activity within the space”.

SSP Fletcher told The Gleaner that initially, the police were patrolling the Whitehall Avenue area when they heard what appeared to be amplified music coming from within the community of Plum Lane.

The police were greeted by gunfire upon turning onto a cul-de-sac off Plum Lane.

“They called out to the men, who rapidly retreated, took cover, and opened fire at the police. The police tactically took cover within the motor vehicle, and managed to return fire whilst the driver also managed to manoeuvre the vehicle in reverse back onto the roadway,”SSP Fletcher said.

The Gleaner was told that after the first attack, and while the police investigators were still on the ground, a second attack unfolded.

“Sometime after 11 pm, (while) preserving the scene and strategising to go in search of the perpetrators who were believed to be hiding in neighbouring premises, the team on the ground was greeted by a barrage of gunfire from high-powered weapons,” SSP Fletcher said.

The no-nonsense crime fighter said the policemen were not able to return fire at the time because there was no clear target, so they called for assistance.

SSP Fletcher said: “We called out for assistance, which resulted in additional personnel from neighbouring division St Catherine and other formations within the Corporate Area coming in to give assistance.”

A resident told The Gleaner that she had to take cover under her bed due to the loud explosions coming from the firefight.

“I swear I was in Iraq or Afghanistan. The amount of shot fire, people want move out of the area. The gunman dem fire and the police dem fire. It was total chaos,” the resident said.

The police say several motor vehicles belonging to patrons and some of the promoters have been seized. Investigations are ongoing.