Three men were killed during alleged confrontations with members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) in separate incidents in Westmoreland Thursday morning.
The identities of the three deceased men have not yet been disclosed.
According to reports, in one case, two of the men were shot and killed after confronting officers with firearms. The third man was shot and killed during a second incident in the parish.
The Commander of the police’s Area One division, Assistant Commissioner of Police Glenford Miller, confirmed that two firearms were seized from the two first men.
However, he did not disclose if an illegal weapon was seized by the officers involved in the second incident. Both of the incidents occurred in Bethel Town. According to the Jamaica Gleaner, Miller was not in a position to divulge further details about the shootings.
It is not clear if the incidents have been reported to the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) or if it has launched an investigation into the alleged confrontations. The number of fatalities involving members of the Jamaican security forces has surpassed 143 since the beginning of the year.
A figure Assistant Commissioner at INDECOM Hamish Campbell described as extraordinarily high when compared to previous years. A total of 134 people were killed during confrontations with the authorities in 2022.
