A man who yesterday held up and robbed a taxi operator of his motor car in Greater Portmore, St Catherine, was shot and killed by the police at the intersection of Municipal Boulevard and the Mandela Highway, following a high-speed chase.

According to the Constabulary Communication Network (CCN) liaison officer for the St Catherine South Police Division Constable Verdane Wright, at approximately 12:45 pm yesterday the taxi operator, who was travelling in the vicinity of the 1 North and 2 North housing schemes in Greater Portmore, was held up by one of his passengers and forced to exit his white Toyota Corolla motor car.

The taxi operator managed to call the police, using the cellular phone of a passing motorist whom he had signalled to stop.

The police, who gave chase, later intercepted the Toyota Corolla at the traffic light at Municipal Boulevard and Mandela Highway. The driver, the police said, alighted from the vehicle and opened fire on the officers, who returned the fire. The driver of the stolen car, the police said, ran into nearby bushes and was later found suffering from gunshot wounds. He was taken to the Spanish Town Hospital where he was pronounced dead. His name was not ascertained.

A 9 mm pistol, loaded with seven live rounds, was taken from the man’s body, the police said.