KINGSTON, Jamaica — A man was shot dead when he reportedly engaged the police in a shootout during an operation on Wellington Street in Denham Town, west Kingston, on Tuesday morning.

The dead man has been identified as Mark Allen, who, according to police reports, was usually seen along Wellington Street with a handgun.

Head of the Area Four police, Assistant Commissioner Michael Phipps, said the now-deceased never grew up in Denham Town.

“He was from the parish of St Elizabeth and was actually brought into the Denham Town area, where he became a criminal enforcer for the Tripple Six Gang. He has since featured in a number of gang-related activities and was being sought by the Denham Town CIB for a number of violent crimes and several assaults against women,” ACP Phipps shared.

The senior cop said the police are currently collaborating with the St Elizabeth police with respect to investigations into criminal matters to which Allen may be linked.

Reports reaching Observer Online indicated that around 5:35 am, members of the Kingston Western Special Operations team went to Denham Town in search of wanted men, prohibited weapons and unauthorised ammunition.

During the operation, the police said the team, which had a search warrant, went to one of the targeted locations, where they announced their presence, and no one responded.

The officers breached the door to gain access, and while making their way inside, they encountered a man armed with a handgun, who opened fire at them.

The police returned gunfire at the man, who was shot and injured. The firearm was retrieved, and the injured man was assisted to the Kingston Public Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead.

Police said Allen was arrested and charged with counterfeit notes in the Manchester division in 2023. He was also arrested on reasonable suspicion of possessing a prohibited weapon in February of this year, in the Kingston Western Division.