THE East Kingston police have charged one man with arson in connection with the destruction of two police service vehicles, which were set ablaze in McIntyre Villa (Dunkirk) in the Kingston 16 area on Saturday, February 18.

The man, Peter Escoffery, otherwise called “Stumpy” of Mountain View Avenue, Kingston 13, is also facing charges of two counts of shooting with intent.

Escoffery was arrested during a police operation on Friday, February 24 and was formally charged on Tuesday. He is scheduled to appear in the Gun Court on Friday, March 10.

Police said that on Saturday, February 18, between 6:00 am and 7:00 am, they came under heavy gunfire during an operation in the Dunkirk area of Kingston.

The police said they returned the fire and a man, later identified as Donovan Clarke, of McIntyre Villa was shot. He was taken to the Kingston Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

After learning of the death of the man, residents protested in the community, saying that Clarke had been murdered by cops and that the police had not been fired at. Three police vehicles were set ablaze by the protesters who also blocked a number of roads in the community.