MANCHESTER, Jamaica – The Manchester police are probing reports of extortion in the Mandeville bus park following a shooting incident Tuesday night which left two men dead.

“The initial theory is that men were feuding over extortion activities and the police will be investigating all aspects of the shooting including reports about extortion,” Superintendent Melvin Brown, head of the Manchester police told OBSERVER ONLINE.

The deceased have been identified as 22-year-old Andre McLeod, unemployed of Ward Avenue in Mandeville as well as Canaan Heights in Clarendon and Koran Blair, also known as ‘Frass’, 24 years old, of Decarteret Road in Mandeville.

A third man, a 51-year-old resident of Silent Hill in northern Manchester who is said to be a bus/taxi loader in the bus park, was injured in the shooting but was released from hospital after treatment.

Reports are that about 7:15 pm – peak hour in Mandeville – a large crowd of people were seeking transportation to head home when two armed men brandished guns and opened fire on the victims.

McLeod reportedly died on the spot while Blair was pronounced dead at hospital.

Police say available evidence suggests that McLeod and Blair were specifically targeted and were shot at close quarters. The injured man may have been accidentally shot, police say.

As people panicked and ran in all directions, the gunmen are said to have escaped by blending into the fleeing crowd. There were no reports of anyone being hurt in the stampede.

Brown urged bus and taxi operators as well as eye witnesses to tell the police all they know about Tuesday night’s shooting as well as any extortion activities.

“I am pleading with those people who operate buses and taxis to cooperate with the police. You cannot keep silent. We would welcome any information on these people who are said to be practising extortion,” the police chief said.      

Garfield Myers