SPANISH TOWN, St Catherine – Gunmen opened fire at police who attempted to shut down the wake of an alleged gangster here last night.Related stories:Commish applauds cops’ bravery over Klansman attacksPolice fear reprisals for killing Klansman gangsters

No one was injured in a subsequent shootout, which started about 8:00 pm and lasted several in the Hopeful Village community, said police.

“We went over there to close it down because they never had any permit. And before we could move man just start fire shot from in the bushes,” said one police officer.

The men then escaped.

According to one of the cops who was involved in the operation, the wake was for Joel Jennings, otherwise called ‘JJ’, an alleged member of the notorious Klansman gang operating out of St Catherine.

Jennings was among two men killed by cops during a shootout in Spring Village, Old Harbour last month. Another alleged member of the gang was injured in the shootout.

A brother of Jennings was killed by police earlier this week. That incident again forced police to raise their threat level in anticipation of repeat retaliatory attacks by the gang.

Last month, the gang attacked the Spanish Town Police Station and several patrols in the vicinity. No cops were injured.

That attack was in retaliation for the incident in Spring Village and the killing by cops of Donovan Topping, an alleged enforcer for the gang in Manchester the day before.

Police raise threat level to extreme