A Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) soldier was shot and injured at a joint police/military checkpoint on Mahoe Drive, St Andrew, on Thursday morning.

It is understood that the soldier was shot in the foot shortly after 5 am and had to be rushed to hospital for treatment.

Information surrounding the incident is still sketchy, but the soldier was reportedly shot by one of his JDF colleagues whose gun accidentally went off while he slept.

Efforts to speak with Senior Superintendent Kirk Ricketts, the head of the St Andrew South Division, where the incident occurred, have so far proven futile.

Police sources indicate that they have not been given much information by the soldiers at the scene and do not know exactly what transpired.

Residents of the community with whom OBSERVER ONLINE spoke confirmed seeing the injured soldier being rushed away from the scene. The residents revealed there was blood on the ground in front of the tent the soldiers were in.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced the reimposition of states of public emergency (SOEs) in St James, Westmoreland, Hanover, St Ann, Clarendon, St Catherine and sections of Kingston and St Andrew.