A pastor was yesterday shot and injured just outside his church in Fletcher's Land, Kingston, sparking anger among residents of the inner-city community who condemned the attack.

The churchman, identified as Clinton Loney, was shot in the hand by his attackers and was admitted to hospital. His condition was considered stable up to press time last night.

According to a group of Fletcher's Land residents, Loney was standing outside his church, Victory Churches International, located on King Street when he was attacked by two gunmen. It happened just after 7:00 in the morning.

"I hear say just as he came out of the church he was attacked and shot in his hand by gunmen who then escaped from the area," a female resident told the Jamaica Observer.

The woman, whose name is being withheld for security reasons, was among a small group of residents who voiced their anger over the reported attack yesterday.

"That man is a good man; we are really shocked that he was attacked," said another irate female who identified herself only as Simone.

"For a man who has done so much for the community, this is really bad," a man from the community added. The man called on police to step up their presence in the area.

Residents, meanwhile, urged members of the community to pray for the speedy recovery of Pastor Loney. "People in the community need to pray that the pastor gets well soon," said one woman.

She used the opportunity to call on church members to be more vocal on matters of crime not just in Fletcher's Land but across Jamaica. "We want the church to become more vocal; crime is on the rise [and] we want the church to be more visible in this time," she added.