GUNMEN rained bullets on two separate teams of police officers yesterday following the shooting death of an alleged female gang member in the east Kingston community of Dunkirk.

Commanding officer for the Kingston Eastern Division, Superintendent Robert Walker informed the Jamaica Observer that about 4:30 am yesterday the female, said to be a top-tier member of the Top Road Gang in Franklyn Town, was murdered at 34 Maiden Street in Dunkirk, Kingston 16.

Walker said that, following her death, police who were on patrol in Franklyn Town about 10:30 am were fired on by men believed to be from the Top Road Gang.They were armed with high-powered weapons, dressed in black, and outfitted with bulletproof vests.

Walker said this altercation took place at the intersection of Sussex Lane and Albert Street in Franklyn Town, and information is that the men were on their way to seek reprisal for the female killed earlier.

But the situation quickly escalated when a police team from Mobile Reserve travelling along Elletson Road, on their way to St Thomas to assist with the processing of the fatal killing of Jamaica’s most wanted gangster Marlon ‘Duppy Film’ Perry, encountered the gunmen at the intersection of Cumberland and Elleston Roads and one of the service vehicles was shot up.

In the midst of the ordeal, Walker said the police was informed that a man was shot on Banana Street in Dunkirk around 10:20 am by allegedly the same men on their way to avenge the dead female.

In pursuit of the gunmen, Walker said the police recovered a HS2000 9mm pistol, a magazine, and 14 rounds of 9mm ammunition. Three men were brought into custody in connection with the find.

The commanding officer said investigations continue, but made an appeal to the residents of Franklyn Town and the Greater Brown’s Town area, better known as Dunkirk, to assist the police to smash the criminal elements in east Kingston.