A deadly tragedy unfolded at Half-Way-Tree Police Station in St Andrew on Monday evening when a man who was escorted from the court nearby grabbed a policeman’s gun and shot another cop, before turning the firearm on himself.

The dead policeman has been identified as Detective Sergeant Kevin Mayne.

The man who pulled the trigger has been identified as Deon Singh, owner of Deon Singh Auto on Hagley Park Road in St Andrew. Singh may also have been shot by at least one of the policeman’s colleagues.

Minister of National Security Dr Horace Chang, who rushed to the scene after learning of the incident, described it as a tragic and very traumatic situation.

“Happening on the compound of the police station makes it a very bizarre incident and, certainly, it is traumatic. He was at work. When police officers go on operations you can wrap your head around the fact that something can happen and a police officer could get shot, but to be shot on property while conducting routine activities is very, very traumatic and bizarre. The police deserve all the support and understanding they can have. The officer was a very capable and young police in the Criminal Investigations Branch. A hard-working officer has lost his life,” Chang said.

Senior Superintendent of Police Stephanie Lindsay, who heads the Corporate Communications Unit of Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), told the media at Half-Way-Tree Police Station on Monday night that the incident occurred around 5:45 pm. According to Lindsay, Singh was not handcuffed while being transported from Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court, adjoining the station. He was facing the court on numerous charges of fraudulent conversion in relation to the sale of motor vehicles and possibly other matters, and had left court earlier.

“When transporting prisoners they are usually handcuffed. He was not handcuffed, and the investigation will probably provide some more information. It is too quick to say if there will be changes to operations. We have to do the investigation and then, based on the findings, we can start making decisions and recommendations. Right now we just have to rely on what will unfold from the investigation, other than what we now know,” Lindsay told journalists.

“He was before the court on some fraud-related matter. Whilst at court a fresh report came to the detective and at the end of the session he was offered bail. The detective was in the process of continuing that investigation by taking him to his office when the unfortunate incident happened. We just know that he attacked, disarmed and shot the detective sergeant. There were no other injuries reported. I am not sure if his wife was also charged; that was not part of my brief,” Lindsay added in response to questions on whether the wife of Singh may also be before the courts on criminal charges in relation to fraudulent conversion.

The senior policewoman stated that the now-deceased detective sergeant was in the process of escorting Singh from court to his office so as to expand investigations.

“Sometime during the journey from the court to his office he attacked the detective sergeant and a tussle ensued. During the tussle another policeman saw what was happening and intervened. During the process the businessman pulled the firearm from the officer and immediately opened fire. The detective sergeant was hit and later died. We understand that the businessman then turned the firearm on himself. They were both taken to hospital where they were pronounced dead. As it relates to the identity of the officer, we cannot officially name him at this point because our chief chaplain, along with the chaplaincy team, is trying to make contact with the family. The last time I spoke with him, they were not yet officially informed so as soon as they are informed we will be able to give his identity.”

Lindsay said colleagues of the policeman were going through a very emotional situation. She described the slain cop as a 47-year-old veteran detective who was hard-working.

“We never expected anything like this,” Lindsay said.

“The Independent Commission of Investigations was informed and we also have the inspector general who is here. We are now going to have to look at some other things to see what the investigations will prove,” added Lindsay who said she understands that at least one officer may have fired, after hearing explosions.