ST THOMAS, Jamaica— Superintendent in charge of the St Thomas Division, Allison Byfield, is urging citizens to desist from carrying out mob killings as it is a criminal offence for which they can be arrested and charged.

The call comes as detectives probe Wednesday’s mob killing of an unidentified man in Llandewey district in the parish.

READ: Residents kill innocent man who they believed to be child abductor

According to reports, at about 7:30 am, residents saw the man in a section of the community where they attacked and beat him.

The police were summoned and on their arrival the man was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Detectives believe the residents thought the man was Davian Bryan, the man suspected of abducting two girls in the parish last week.

“An innocent man was killed in Llandewey. My information is that a man was attacked by residents and injured. I think wounds were inflicted on him using a knife. Residents are saying that he is the suspect that they were looking for, however, it is not the suspect,” Byfield told OBSERVER ONLINE.

“We want to say it’s an innocent man. An innocent man’s life would’ve been taken out by the residents of the area,” she continued.

The Superintendent warned the public not to take justice into their own hands.

“If and when you see the suspect, contact the police. It serves no one’s interest for persons to take justice in their own hands,” she said.

Meanwhile, Crime Stop is offering a reward of $200,000 for information leading to the arrest of Bryan.

READ: Crime Stop offers $200k for capture of suspected St Thomas abductor

The search continues for Bryan.