MANCHESTER, Jamaica — Police in Manchester have confirmed that two alleged gunmen were fatally shot during a reported confrontation with cops on Old Greenvale Road in Mandeville Monday.

Head of the Manchester police Deputy Superintendent Odean Dennis said a high powered weapon was also seized during the incident about 6:40 am.

“A team of police officers assigned to Area Three Head Quarters and the Manchester police division were on operations in the space when they received information that men aboard a silver Toyota Axio motorcar pulled a firearm on someone in the Mandeville space. They went in pursuit of the vehicle and caught up with a unit fitting the description in the Old Greenvale Road area. They signaled this unit to stop and men aboard that vehicle opened fire at the police. Police returned the fire and thereafter two men were found suffering from gunshot wounds in that unit,” he said.

Dennis said a Smith & Wesson M & P rifle and rounds of ammunition were seized from the vehicle.

“We just want to take this opportunity to remind persons that we are serious about the business of keeping Mandeville and Manchester on a whole safe. Don’t come to Manchester with criminal intent or you will be caught and if you are caught please surrender to the police, because we will take every legal step to ensure that we defend ourselves,” said Dennis.

— Kasey Williams