CHUDLEIGH, Manchester — Police here say they will be relentless in pursuing criminals seeking safe haven in remote areas, following a deadly confrontation with two alleged gunmen on Tuesday in this quiet farming community.

Police said one of the men was fatally shot after he and his crony challenged the police in a shoot-out in Over River district near Chudleigh.

Police named him as Javar Blake, otherwise called Balla, a resident of Landsettlement in Manchester.

Head of the Manchester Police Division, Deputy Superintendent Carey Duncan told the
Jamaica Observer that Blake was at a house which was the target of an operation when a shoot-out ensued.

“A joint operation between the Manchester police and our counterparts at the Specialised Operations Branch was conducted in the usually quiet community of Over River, in the Christiana police space,” he said.

“This operation was conducted in an effort to apprehend some persons of interest to us and also some wanted persons. On the approach of the targeted premises, two men who were armed with firearms exited the building through a back door. Both men opened gunfire in the direction of the police,” added Duncan.

“The police, in defence of their lives, responded by returning gunfire in their direction. When the shooting subsided one man was found suffering from what appeared to be gunshot injuries and one 9mm semi-automatic pistol was [seized],” he said.

The injured suspect was pronounced dead at Percy Junor Hospital in Spalding. His crony managed to escape.

Duncan said the police have intensified operations to weed out suspects from remote areas.

“In recent weeks we have increased our operational output within the parish, and what we find is that our usual suspects have opted to make their way into quieter communities,” he said, while warning residents not to harbour fugitives.