THE Independent Commission of Investigations has launched a probe into the killing of a 17-year-old boy by the police in Rivoli, St Catherine, on Wednesday night.

The dead boy has been identified as Gregory Wright, who hailed from Monk Street in the parish and a recent graduate of Eltham High School.

The police, without providing any other details, said Wright was shot dead at about 10:30 pm. The police alleged that a homemade handgun was also seized in the operation.

However, on Thursday angry residents claimed that Wright was killed in cold blood. They blocked roads in the area, obstructing traffic, in protest.

"This is another of the many cases where police come shoot and kill off poor people pickney. The youth was not any bad man; him was even a member of the police youth club," said one irate woman.

"Lie the police a tell! Kill dem kill the youth in cold blood," another resident, Steven Forbes, alleged.

He and others said the incident warranted an investigation.

Meanwhile, Wright's relatives said they were told that the boy, after returning home from work, was walking in the community with a group of friends when they were approached by the police.

The family member claimed the young man was ordered to go into the back of a police jeep, but refused.

"The reports we get is that because he refused a member of the police team used his gun to push the youth in the jeep and the firearm went off and shot the youth," said the distraught relative.

Police, however, said they could not confirm the residents' version of the incident.