Policeman shot dead - Attacker wrestles gun from cop; later killed

The celebratory atmosphere among members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) was shattered by the killing of a policeman allegedly by a bullet fired from his service pistol by an attacker yesterday. The inauguration ceremony for the 29th police commissioner was taking place when Constable Leighton Hanson was killed along Constant Spring Road in St Andrew.

Communications spokes-person for the JCF, Superintendent Stephanie Lindsay, confirmed the killing. She was not able to provide details, but The Gleaner understands that Hanson, a constable from the Constant Spring Police Station, was responding to reports of suspicious men at certain premises on Constant Spring Road when he was attacked by one of them. His attacker was shot by other policemen. Both were taken to a medical facility, where the cop was pronounced dead. It was later reported that the attacker succumbed to his wounds.

Sergeant Raymond Wilson, chairman of the Police Federation, in an interview on RJR news, noted that it was a sad day for members of JCF.

"Certainly, I want to say to Jamaica that this is a sad Friday evening. This was not something we were expecting to hear, especially after the whole celebration of the installation of the commissioner of police," he said.

"It has really dampened everybody's spirit and mood. We understand that officers broke down and were really torn up about what took place," he lamented.

Commissioner of Police George Quallo was officially installed yesterday at a ceremony at the Police Officers' Club in St Andrew.