MONTEGO BAY, St James — Thursday night’s fatal shooting of three alleged gangsters from Kingston, during what the police described as a confrontation with the security forces, has rattled this parish’s upscale Coral Gardens neighbourhood and elicited a stern warning to criminals thinking of targeting the area.

“There is no safe haven for them; leave St James alone! We are now on a path of peace and safety and we want to maintain that,” operations officer in the St James Police Division, Superintendent Lynroy Edwards told the Jamaica Observer hours after the incident that sent shockwaves through the usually quiet community.

The men were shot around 11:00 pm outside a property being used as an Airbnb on Coral Terrace. According to Edwards, information about wanted men led cops to Coral Gardens,on the outskirts of Montego Bay.

“It goes to show that even when you hide in those communities we will still pursue,” he declared.

“The intelligence is that they have done robberies before; they committed a series of robberies across St James and other parishes,” the senior cop added.

According to the police, two weapons were seized during the incident — one Smith and Wesson 9mm pistol with a magazine containing 13 9mm rounds, and a Recon 9mm pistol along with four 9mm rounds.

Police sources indicate they have reliable intelligence the men are members of the Spanglers Gang out of Matthews Lane in the Kingston West Police Division. The gang is known for contract killings, shootings, extortion, robberies and other gun-related crimes.

Up to late Friday afternoon the three fatally shot men had not been officially identified, but cops say they are believed to go by the names Cardon, Don Hype, and David Facey.

For some Coral Gardens residents, Thursday night’s incident has been unnerving. “I’ve been here 30 years, and while you might hear about things here and there, for the police to shoot three men, that is not usual,” said one man who chose not to provide his name.

“I love Coral Gardens; I love the people, the place. This is not something you expect to see happening here,” he added.

As with every fatal shooting involving a member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, the matter is being investigated by the Independent Commission of Investigations (Indecom) as well as the Inspectorate and Professional Standards Oversight Bureau (IPROB).