Two men killed by police in separate targeted operations

Two men were shot and killed in separate targeted operations by the police in St. James Wednesday afternoon.

The men were the prime suspects in Tuesday evening's failed robbery of a supermarket in the parish. The men were killed in Salt Spring and Albion Lane.

In the first incident around 4:15pm police went in search of the men in Salt Spring when they were reportedly challenged to a gun battle.

When the shooting subsided a male was found suffering from gunshot wounds and was later pronounced dead.

His identity is not yet known.

A bag of coins believed to have been stolen from the supermarket was recovered from the scene. An illegal gun was also seized.

Minutes later in Albion Lane, a second male was shot in another reported gun battle with the police.

His identity is also not yet know. An illegal pistol was also allegedly recovered in this incident.

The cases have been reported to the Independent Commission of Investigations INDECOM. The two men were tracked to the locations hours after a failed robbery of a supermarket in St. James.

During that incident it is believed these two men and their cronies shot and injured two policemen who challenged them as they attempted to rob the business place on Church Street.

One officer was shot in the foot, while the other sustained a gunshot wound to the shoulder. Last night's incident comes 24 hours after another supermarket in Montego Bay was also targeted by gunmen on Monday night, raising fears of a surge in robberies targeting businesses in the city.