KINGSTON, Jamaica (Jamaica Observer) — The police are reporting that the six men who were in an alleged gun battle with members of the security forces in Goodwill, St James were members of the ‘Ski Mask’ gang operating in Montego Bay.
According to the police, they were fatally shot and four firearms along with several rounds of ammunition seized on the Goodwill main road in Adelphi, St James.
A policeman was also injured in the incident.
Reports are that about 9 pm, lawmen signalled the driver of a Toyota Corolla motor car to stop.
The driver complied and almost immediately, several armed men then exited the vehicle firing at the team. The lawmen responded and when the shooting subsided, six men were seen with gunshot wounds and the firearms and ammunition seized.
Five of the dead men have been identified as: Oswyn Jarret, otherwise called ‘Ski-Mask’, Deno Pryce, otherwise called ‘Buju’, Marlon Samuels, otherwise called ‘Brutus’, and two others whose names were given only as ‘Shenky’ and ‘Fargo’. The sixth man was not identified.
The police also said that the ‘Ski Mask’ gang was responsible for several murders in the Barrett Town, Lilliput and a section of the parish known as ‘Africa’, among other areas in St James.
The police said they regretted the loss of lives during the incident and wished to reassure the public that the security forces were committed to carrying out their duties in a professional manner as they work to restore law and order to communities.
The matter has been reported to the Bureau of Special Investigations (BSI) and the Independent Commission of Investigations.
