THE Kingston West police have launched a search for a woman who allegedly shot and injured two other women in the South St Andrew community of Craig Town Thursday night.

Head of the police division, Superintendent Hugh Bish, told the Observer that the alleged female shooter was embroiled in a noisy dispute with the two women before the shooting started.

“They were involved in a feud and she went for a gun and came back and shot the two of them,” Bish said.

Both injured women were taken to hospital where they were admitted. Their condition was last night listed as stable.

One of the injured women was said to be the spouse of an influential community leader, popularly referred to as a ‘don’.

The police declined to say what was the reason for the dispute between the women, but a source in the community told the Observer that it stemmed from jealousy over the so-called community don.

“They were fighting over man. That’s why she get the gun and start to fire shot,” the source said.

This is the second woman from the Kingston West Police Division that has come on the police radar for gun crimes in the last three years.

In August 2006, police from the division arrested 17-year-old mother of two, Sasha Payne, and charged her with shooting with intent and illegal possession of ammunition after they searched premises she occupied at Fleet Street, in an area known as ‘Southside’ in Parade Gardens, and allegedly found bullets.

The shooting charge stemmed from an incident where an 11-year-old boy was shot in the foot, allegedly by Payne.

Police said Payne was the leader of a ruthless gang.

Charges brought against her were thrown out by the court because of a lack of evidence.

Payne reportedly told police that she became involved in a life of crime after being constantly harassed by men from her community. She said bad men from her area came to her defence and eventually she joined their ranks and rose to prominence in the criminal underworld.

However, Payne is now said to have “turned her life around” and has been attending church regularly.

This was confirmed by Superintendent Bish and Payne’s attorney, Miguel Lorne.

“She is behaving herself and has even started going to church,” Lorne, who said he is contacted by the former female gangster at intervals, said.