A man whom the police believe to be one of the island’s major “crime lords” was fatally shot during a reported clash with cops on Tuesday.

Corey Rowe, otherwise called Rasta Corey, was the alleged leader of the Elbow faction criminal gang which operated in the troubled Central Village community in St Catherine.

According to Jamaica Observer sources, Rowe had been seeking to assert himself as the dominant figure or “don” across the entire Central Village area.

He allegedly orchestrated the quadruple murder involving Justin McGregor, better known as AK Man, in the area of Central Village known as China Town in 2023.

The Observer sources say AK Man had emerged as one of the top gangsters in Central Village and was wanted by the St Catherine South Police Division.

But in a power play, Rasta Corey orchestrated his killing, as well as that of his cronies Mark Ellis, also called Frassy T, and two other men who were identified only by their aliases — Otto Man and Mento.

The sources further claimed that Rowe played a central role in fuelling the ongoing conflict between the Compound and Zion/Brown’s Lane communities.

“The gang, under his leadership, was implicated in a series of violent crimes, including extortion and multiple homicides — most notably the killing of Matthew Smith; 22-year-old Jaheem Ferguson, otherwise called JJ; and Giovanni Ferguson, otherwise called Gio, in January of this year,” the source said.

Rowe is believed to have sent Kerran “Killer Reds” Hacker, who has been charged in the connection with the triple murder, and two other men who are now on the police most wanted list, to carry out the triple murder.

“Despite his strategic involvement and influence, Rowe maintained a level of operational distance from the criminal acts, which resulted in him being classified primarily as a person of interest rather than being directly charged,” said the
Observer source.

On Tuesday, the police reported that a targeted joint operation was conducted on Reece Road in Cassia Park, St Andrew, in search of Rowe.

According to the police, during the operation Rowe attempted to flee in a silver Toyota Probox. On being signalled to stop, he allegedly opened gunfire at members of the security forces, who returned fire.

The vehicle subsequently crashed into an embankment on Cassia Park Road.

Upon inspection of the vehicle Rowe was found with gunshot wounds and the police say he had a black firearm in hand.

The cops say the weapon — a black Ruger SR9C with its serial number erased — contained a magazine with two 9mm rounds. Rowe was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The Observer sources say a search of the premises where Rowe was believed to have been hiding revealed 150 rounds of 9mm ammunition located on a kitchen shelf, as well as approximately four pounds of vegetable matter resembling ganja in a black plastic bag.

An additional four pounds of similar substance was found in a black parcel inside the motor vehicle he was allegedly driving.