Alleged armed robber shot dead in Westmoreland
Published:Monday | January 16, 2023 | 1:12 AMHopeton Bucknor/Gleaner Writer
An armed man was shot dead by the police during a reported robbery at a supermarket in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland, on Sunday morning.
The deceased has been identified as 32-year-old Dwight Devon McKenzie, of a Burnt Savannah address in Westmoreland.
According to the Savanna-la-Mar police, about 4 a.m., a team of officers responded to reports of a break-in at the This One Wholesale along Lewis Street in the Westmoreland capital.
Further reports are that on arrival, the cops were greeted by gunfire from two armed men.
The police said that the fire was returned. One man, who was later identified as McKenzie, was discovered suffering from gunshot wounds when the shooting ended.
His accomplice escaped in the area on foot.
The police report that an illegal firearm and several rounds of ammunition were taken from McKenzie.
A police investigator told The Gleaner that McKenzie, who went by the alias ‘Ricky’, was a known criminal who recently returned from prison and was also arrested and charged for praedial larceny.
This is the first fatal police shooting in Area One since the start of 2023.
Errol Chattoo, director of complaints at the Independent Commission of Investigations’ western office, told The Gleaner that the police oversight body was aware of the fatal shooting and had sent investigators to the location.
“[We] are now carrying out an investigation into the matter,” Chattoo said.