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Halshane Burke reports
The Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) says 154 people have been fatally shot by the police in reported confrontations since the start of the year.
The oversight body revealed that 17 of those incidents have occurred so far this month.
Five men were fatally shot on Thursday during reported gunfights with the police.
Three of the men were fatally shot in alleged confrontations in Bethel Town, Westmoreland; two of them have been identified as persons of interest in several murders in that parish as well as Hanover.
They have been identified as brothers 22-year-old Jaeden Love and 23-year-old Jhordan Love, both from Bethel Town, Westmoreland.
The police say two illegal firearms were seized during the operation.
It's reported that sometime after 4 a.m., a team carried out an intelligence-driven operation at Hermitage District in search of the brothers.
They were said to be members of the St. James Crook's Nation gang and were in possession of several illegal firearms, including rifles.
The police say upon entering a house occupied by the brothers, two armed men were observed. The police reportedly shouted to the men to surrender but they opened fire.
The fire was returned and the men were shot. They were pronounced dead at hospital.
In the meantime, INDECOM is reporting that the third suspect was fatally shot in Bethel Town three hours later.
He has been identified as 31-year-old Dereico Hayle, a farmer of Bethel Town, Westmoreland.
It is reported at about 7:30 a.m., following the earlier police fatal shooting in the area, an unmarked police vehicle was patrolling the community when a man was observed on a motorcycle, taking an object from his pocket and tucking it into the front of his waistband while exiting a lane.
The driver rode off on the motorcycle in the direction of Hermitage.
The police followed at a safe distance, with the driver of the motorcycle on the observation.
It's reported that on reaching the entrance of Willow Drive, the motorcycle came to a stop and the driver was seen handing a firearm to a second man.
The police then challenged the men and this led to a running gun battle in a vegetated area.
The men, in a bid to escape, ran into a police military team in the area.
Following an exchange of gunfire, Hayle was found with a gunshot while the second man escaped.
He was later pronounced dead at hospital.
And the fourth suspect was fatally shot by the police in George's Plane, Westmoreland on Thursday afternoon.
He was reportedly being sought for questioning in connection with the murder of his father.
He has been identified as Keno Plummer, otherwise called 'Grabba'.
It's reported that he was shot while attempting to rob an off-duty police officer.
He was listed as the prime suspect in the murder of his father, 69-year-old Bertie Plummer, otherwise called 'Chunkus'.
Mr. Plummer, a farmer reindr of Cornwall District, Hartford, in Westmoreland, was found murdered in a canefield on June 7.
The body had bullet wounds.
Meanwhile, the fifth suspect was shot during a police operation in St. Catherine earlier on Thursday.