Spanish Town terror - Four-hour gun fight sparks panic

Gunmen attack police, traumatise St Jago students in four-hour battle

Friday, December 09, 2011

TERROR returned to Spanish Town yesterday after gunmen, suspected to be members of the feared Klansman gang, attacked a police patrol, sparking a four-hour gun battle which, at one point, was fought close to St Jago High School where classes were in session.

The incident traumatised students who were eventually escorted safely off the premises by the police.

Last night, as the security forces maintained a strong presence in the affected areas, the police reported that they found an AK 47 rifle in the aftermath of the firefight, which started about 12:30 pm and sent persons in the normally bustling town running for cover.

"It was like a scene from a movie," said a member of the police team that eventually repelled the attacks of the heavily armed gunmen.

The Observer was told that the police were patrolling an area known to be controlled by the Klansman gang when they came under fire. The police responded, but were subjected to further attacks from gunmen in Rivoli, Ravensworth and areas near the Rio Cobre.

During the fighting, the gunmen attempted to run onto the premises of St Jago High but were prevented from doing so.

At Monk Street, in the vicinity of the school, parents whose children were late in returning from classes panicked. One woman wept as she anxiously waited with her hands on her head.

"I want to see my son. Where is my son?," she asked no one in particular. "School has ended and I do not know what is happening."

As shots continued to be fired, police and soldiers took up strategic positions in the area as they scoured the community in search of the attackers. But their action infuriated some residents who accused the security forces of abuse. Others hurled accusations of political victimisation against them.

"There was no shootout in the community," one man claimed. "The police dem just trying to make the area look bad because is an area that supports the People's National Party."

Yesterday, Prime Minister Andrew Holness, who is also the education minister, issued a strong condemnation of the shooting, noting that it could have spilled onto the school compound.

He said he was quite disturbed to learn that an educational institution could be placed in such grave danger by virtue of marauding criminals using the school compound to evade the police.

Holness said that the education ministry's counselling team will be at the school this morning at 7:00 to provide general and individual support for the teachers and students who were traumatised by the ordeal.

He also said that the police commissioner has been instructed to provide additional security within the area to ensure that the school will return to normalcy and that no more school days will be lost for the term.

Yesterday, as well, the Opposition spokesman on national security Peter Bunting expressed concern about the violence.

Bunting encouraged residents and business operators in the area to remain calm as the security forces carry out their duties to bring the situation under control. He expressed concern on behalf of the People's National Party that incidents of gun violence continue to traumatise young children and disrupt schools as well as the normal flow of business.

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COMMENTS (22)

Anancy Bedward
12/9/2011

@RAYMOND LANGE, you know what, despite the location of the school, Rivoli people left us alone as students. Jago was a source of pride for them, when the school did well in anything they cheered. I really can't remember having to be escorted out of the school during any Shaolin/Manchu flare up. Bingy et al made sure the foolishness was kept away from the school.

Calvin Hamilton
12/9/2011

I agree with JAM 100% more military and police resources should be deployed to the area to eradicated those who were causing this problem. The security forces seem to lack the will or somebody didn't want this violence to be quelled for their own evil motive.

kerr anthony phillip
12/9/2011

This NONSENSE about US drones Need to stop. US drones for what.? when those missiles start raining the story will be of a different cry!!!
Now some of these CRIMINALS only flourish because some of our LEADERS, CITIZEN,AND SECURITY PERSONELL are CORRUPT .
Eliminate the corrupt police/soldiers,politicains,citizens; these HOODLUMS will also dissppear

Phil Oiseaubay
12/9/2011

Like the 1800s US 'Wild West'! Concur 100% with @CheAnderson. Ineffective policing is the norm in where corruption is widespread; police tend to look out for own interests and NOT the interests of constituents they're sent to protect. This is learned because they see corrupt leadership all the way UP the ladder. I pray that Holness is the one who will start a long overdue cleanup of corruption at the leadership level in J'ca. Otherwise, crooks will continue to operate with impunity.

Cookie Bulla
12/9/2011

Why are'nt the US drones sent in to clean up this area? If this was Tivoli, this place would be swarming with all the security forces in the island. Why are we treating the Klansman differently from the Shower Posse?

Nejeeper KNG
12/9/2011

So far I see the PM as being soft “on crime”. Crime is one of the biggest impedance we face today in JA and I’m not comfortable with the PM’s stance. The JTA condemn St Jago invasion where is the PM and the opposition leader? I did expect the PM to have a more radical approach to crime; also PSM needs to see past political rhetoric and address something with substance like this. J’cans home and abroad are waiting to see the steps that the PM will take to address this monster call crime.

C Gordon
12/9/2011

This post is in relation to the US assistance during the incursion. Why the need for such an unnecessary lie; the TRUTH is not in these people vocabulary? And what kind of half truth nonsense is this "the Security Minister was left out of the loop" isn't the defence board consist of the PM, Min of Nat'l Sec., Chief of Staff, and the others I am not recalling right now, who are they trying to take for fools?

Kweli Simba
12/9/2011

Gunmen, suspected to be members of the feared Klansman gang, attacked a police patrol, sparking a four-hour gun battle which, at one point, was fought close to St Jago High School where classes were in session. Where does it say political gang. If we continue to politicize these matter we will never make any head way. This is police matter and the forces need to be marshalled against these thugs. We need to give the security forces a free hand to do their job. It is not JPLNP it is Jamaica.

Ynot Meid
12/9/2011

I have just read a few of the comments and shakes my head (Born Yah Jamaica) how do you know that undercover and intelligence work is not carried out. If the report is correct, it says the officers were patrolling and came under fire. What other response were you expecting from them at the time. All some of you contributors to these blogs do is jump on the backs of the police. We all know that whether P or no P some of these guys just do not give a damn about anything else but themselves.

Sonny Black
12/9/2011

Why didnt the Security Forces call on Indecom and the Jamaicans for Justice to back them up in this Gunfight. And if that didnt work i am certain that those self Righteous Talk Show Hosts who constantly curse the police when a criminal is killed could assist. I personally think that Spanish Town Needs another Tivoli style operation to bring it under control. Oops i forgot , according to the JFJ these are not Gunmen but poor harmless boys who are just trying to "survive".

J A M
12/9/2011

Whether PNP or JLP area the security forces needs to do their work. After what happened in Tivoli Gardens, both parties disassociated themselves with the criminal elements. We have a number of soldiers and policemen being fed daily at Mobile Reserve and Up Park Camp. If the Government really have the will, let the Security Forces be present in these area and flush out the criminals.

Che Anderson
12/9/2011

This country will never fulfill its potential while incidents like these continue to be the norm. Things will not change until we do away with the corrupt politicians from both party. They (PNP and JLP) created these monsters and until the chicken goes home to roast the status quo will remain.

kirk James
12/9/2011

This is no surpise, the question is can P.M Holness make the call as Mr Golding did in West K.N.G and finish what Mr Golding get afraid to finish and rid Jamaica of this crime monster.
Clans man gang support P.N.P and DUDUS support J.L.P now when you remove DUDUS and his gang and leave Clans man Gang what do you expect to happen we lucky they never killed the students, MR HOLNESS YOU NEED TO MAKE THE CALL AND FREE JAMAICA OF THESE GANG ONCE AND FOR ALL

David Armstrong
12/9/2011

While our two political leaders are busy with their political campaign we have this barbaric Klansman gang terrorizing residents with impunity. They have been doing this for somewhile now yet the political leadership of both parties have failed to do anything about vilent gangs and the atrocious crime they perpetrate. Why is it that the political leaders cannot put these gangs out of business? Is it that they are incompetent or afraid of the gangs? This is totally unacceptable.

Nejeeper KNG
12/9/2011

Let us ask United States to provide assistance to the Jamaican security forces with their surveillance aircraft. Gunmen who are willing to exchange bullets with the security force for more than four hours are brazen and should be target with maximum force. School children hiding under tables to dodge bullets are unacceptable.

RAYMOND LANGE
12/9/2011

Nothing new here. happened to me over thirty years while attending St. Jago. Easily one of the worst locations for a school, it's surrounded by the river cobre and monk street is the only way out.
I remember sports and outside classes interrupted by gun fights with police and they would scale the wall and the police would chase them firing in the school. One time we were trapped when the shoalin and manchu pop off (that's what they were called back then) and had to be escorted out.

LAUREL FITZMAURICE
12/9/2011

You see how some Jamaicans stay? Everyone who was there at the time stated that gunmen were in the area who engaged the police in a shoot-out, yet you have one man who would swear on a stack of bibles that nothing go so and call it political!!! SMH

0o k
12/9/2011

Tells you that gunman do whatever still.....They just took some time off!

Cassia Park
12/9/2011

spain a get hot,klansman is a wicked gang and much worst then one order,the police know where this gang operates and which communties they frequent,make a police squad to eradicate this dangerous gang its not so hard at all,jamaica is a small place and this problem could be easily ended,where is mr.holness?? We cannot have school children in fear this has to stop,mr.holness how wi fi vote for yuh and u not stop dis foolishness?we know who the criminals are,take dem out please.Thank you

Born Yah Jamaica
12/9/2011

The police needs to adopt a better strategy to bring down criminal gangs. More intelligence and undercover work needed before surgical strikes. This blazing gun battle in the middle of the day only putting innocent people's life at risk. I cant understand how so many gangs survive in small Jamaica yet the police still having a challenge in eliminating them. Commissioner better get him act together soon, AND without too much distress on the law abiding majority.

Stephen Fox
12/9/2011

Wow! What is going on in Spanish Town? Why can't this gang be subdued and the town returns a place of safety? An in-depth documentary on the location would be interesting.

Jay Brown
12/9/2011

There was no shootout in the community," one man claimed. "The police dem just trying to make the area look bad because is an area that supports the People's National Party."
Its idiots like these which helps Jamaica to be in the precarious position it is in today. Its so difficult to believe these "eyewitness", who at times claim police wrongdoing, when clearly as in this case gunmen were in the area and firing shots at the police.
Politics do create idiots and liars !

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Spanish Town terror - Four-hour gun fight sparks panic