THE police yesterday shot dead two men and arrested three others following an alleged shootout with gunmen close to Park Lane off Red Hills Road, St Andrew.

Following the shootings, a number of residents protested along Red Hills Road, claiming that the two were killed in cold blood. The proceeded to set up fiery roadblocks.

But according to the police report, shortly before noon yesterday a police patrol from the St Andrew North division came under heavy gunfire in the area. The cops returned the fire hitting two of the alleged shooters, seized a nine-millimeter glock handgun and made three arrests.

The dead men have been identified as Ricardo Carty also known as ‘Bobby’ or ‘Jerome’ and a man known only as ‘Deenie’.

While it was not immediately clear yesterday if these were wanted men, the police last night said they were certainly involved in a gang in the Sunrise Crescent area, which is believed to be a breakaway from another gang led by once reputed ‘Commons’ area leader, Cleveland ‘Cassie’ Downer.

One of the three arrested men is a brother of the dead Carty. No charges have yet been laid against the three.

Head of the Major Investigation Task Force, Assistant Commissioner of Police Les Green said yesterday that the police have been maintaining a heavy presence in the Red Hills Road area since last November because of this ongoing gang feud, which has claimed about 30 lives.

The flare-up of violence started on the morning of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) annual conference, November 30, 2006 as a result of infighting among Downer’s gang members.

Green said the police have detained a number of wanted people while others are still waiting in custody to face identification parades.