THE Police High Command has raised the threat level against its personnel to ‘extreme’ after shooting dead three and injuring another man, all said to be ‘key’ members of the Klansman gang over the weekend.

In a statement this morning, police said that several threats had been received against members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) and that imminent danger is possible, especially in the St Catherine North, St Catherine South, and Clarendon police divisions.

“Police personnel are being asked by the High Command to exercise great care while on and off duty and to take all necessary precautions to protect themselves and their colleagues from attacks,” said the statement.

In the first incident on on Saturday afternoon, alleged Klansman enforcer Donovan Topping was shot dead by police in Manchester. Yesterday about 3:00 pm, two other alleged members of the gang were fatally shot and another injured by police in a prolonged shootout about 3:00 pm  at Spring Village in Old Harbour, St Catherine.

One of those fatally shot has been identified as Joel Jennings, otherwise called ‘JJ’. Jennings was wanted for his involvement in a number of murders and shootings in St Catherine. The other Klansman who was fatally shot is yet to be identified, while the injured man who is currently in hospital has been identified as Jordan Markland.

A fourth gang member who was also involved in the shootout escaped. A 9 mm pistol and approximately 25 9 mm rounds of ammunition were allegedly seized. The Bureau of Special Investigations is probing the fatal shootings.