MONTEGO BAY, St James – Investigators are probing the circumstances surrounding Tuesday night’s death of a Cuban man who was shot by a tour bus driver when he allegedly drew a gun and attempted to hijack the vehicle.

The police identified the deceased as Yosef Gomez Artigas, a 30-year-old unemployed of Havana, Cuba and Peurto Bello Meadows, St James.

According to Corporal Peter Salkey, police spokesman for St James, about 9:40 Tuesday night Artigas chartered the tour bus to transport him to Ironshore. However, upon reaching a section along the Ironshore main road, the Cuban allegedly instructed the tour bus operator to take him to Runaway Bay, St Ann instead.

Subsequently, during an argument that developed between the two, Artigas allegedly drew a firearm and pointed it at the driver. A struggle then ensued after which an explosion was heard. The Cuban, who was taken to the MoBay Hope Medical Institution, was later transferred to the Cornwall Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The police said that following the incident the tour bus driver drove to the Coral Gardens Police Station where he handed over a .9mm semi-automatic pistol, loaded with three live rounds, which Artigas had allegedly pulled on him.