JUNCTION, St Elizabeth — A man who police had listed as wanted for offences, including rape stemming from an incident more than 10 years ago in Hanover, was gunned down near here on Wednesday night after he eluded local law enforcement by moving to the United States.

The man — identified by police as Vernon Shearer, 46, a resident of Mays Landing, New Jersey — was listed among Hanover’s 10 most wanted up to 2022.

Head of the Hanover police, Superintendent Ian Mowatt, confirmed that Shearer, otherwise called Vandam, was listed as wanted for abduction, rape, illegal possession of firearm, and assault at common-law.

Police said Shearer was being sought in connection with the abduction of two people, a man and a woman, on December 19, 2011.

A police report said sometime between 1:10 pm and 11:30 pm the offences of abduction, rape, illegal possession of firearm and assault at common-law were committed against the two complainants at Lower Rock Spring in Hanover.

At that time police said Shearer was a 34-year-old farmer and a resident of Upper Rock Spring in Hanover.

Checks by the Jamaica Observer revealed that Shearer was listed as wanted at least three times between 2020 and 2022 in connection with the 2011 incident.

However, it is believed that Shearer fled the country and was residing in New Jersey. Reports suggest that he recently returned to the island as a visitor.

A police report said about 9:40 pm on Wednesday Shearer was inside a bar at Cheapside near Junction, St Elizabeth, when gunmen drove up in a motorcar, alighted from the vehicle, and shot Shearer several times in the upper body.

The police said another man, who was in a car in the vicinity of the bar, was hit by a bullet as the gunmen fled the scene.

Both injured men were taken to hospital where Shearer was pronounced dead and the other man admitted for treatment.