MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Police say a man who was fatally shot during an alleged confrontation in Buttup, Manchester, on Monday was the main suspect in last Tuesday’s murder of alleged gangster cop Constable Mario Thomas.

Police identified the man as Carey Douglas, 33, otherwise called Stickman or Little Dawg.

Douglas, who had been on the police’s radar, was being investigated in relation to the June 18 murder of Thomas in Comfort, Manchester.

The slain cop’s body was found in bushes in a section of Comfort known as Breezy Hill, hours after he was chased and shot by an armed man.

According to Jamaica Constabulary Force, Constable Thomas had been interdicted, since September 29, 2020, “following his involvement in an alleged case of murder and other serious crimes”.

On Monday, head of the Manchester police, Deputy Superintendent Carey Duncan said Douglas was fatally shot in an early morning operation.

“Sometime after 3:00 am there was a joint police operation in the Buttup district, in the Alligator Pond police area. This operation was conducted in conjunction with members of the Specialized Operations unit. During the operation a warrant was executed at a premises,” he said while pointing out that the police were forced to defend themselves.

“On their approach, they were greeted with gunfire. The police took evasive action and returned the fire. When the shooting ended, one man was found suffering from gunshot wounds,” added Duncan.

The police chief said a 9mm pistol with a magazine containing five live rounds was seized during the incident.

Sources told the Jamaica Observer that Douglas had prior run-ins with the police from age 17, and was taken into custody in relation to several murders years ago.

Duncan is urging citizens to comply with the police.

“We are mandated by law to pursue criminal suspects. I just want to encourage the persons, particularly in Manchester, that we are committed to serving you and these operations will continue,” he said.

“I just want to encourage the persons who may fall in the suspect category that when we come to apprehend you, do not resist because we see what the end result can be — and when these things happen, nobody wins,” added Duncan.