WESTMORELAND, Jamaica – One of the persons of interest that police were reportedly monitoring in connection to the recent gang feud in Grange Hill, Westmoreland, was shot and killed in a shootout with the police on Friday morning.

The revelation was made by National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Westmoreland Police Headquarters Friday and later by outgoing Commissioner of Police Major General Antony Anderson during an impromptu stakeholders meeting at the Grange Hill High School in the parish.

“We ran some operations and I believe that we have got one of the persons so far who chose his particular route to take on the police and the rest is history,” stated the commissioner in his address to the Grange Hill stakeholders meeting.

The commissioner added that while there are more people like the one that was killed, “one thing is for sure is that those gang cases will continue to be built and we will continue to erode their capacity.”

Meanwhile, Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the Police Area One, Clifford Chambers told Observer Online that the deceased man challenged the police and was shot.

ACP Chambers said he was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. An illegal firearm was reportedly taken from him. The police have since indicated that the security forces will continue their operations.

The gang feud between the infamous King Valley Gang and the emerging Ants Posse Gang had resulted in the death of five people within three days in the Grange Hill area.

The flare up resulted in the Grange Hill Primary and High schools closing their doors on Tuesday and resorting to online learning platforms.

Principal of Grange Hill High School Trevine Donaldson Lawrence told the meeting that classes have since resumed at the school.

On Tuesday, ACP Chambers said a curfew was implemented in sections of Grange Hill.

The areas included Race Course, Crowder, Geneva, Mint Road and Top Lincoln.

The top cop had also released the names of persons of interest that the police were targeting.

Among them are Demar Thomas, OC Heavy D or Dawg; Romain Murray; Lashawn Warren; Orlando Reid, OC Bellow; Charlton Dixon; Geneil Wright, OC Grabber and Leon.

He had asked that individuals who are aware of these people to call 311, 811 or the crime officer for the Westmoreland Division at 1876-333-9558 or the commanding officer for the Westmoreland police division at 1876-822-6840.

Anthony Lewis