Spanish Town police shootout leaves two dead after Deanery Road gas station attack

Two men suspected of involvement in the Wednesday afternoon shooting of a pump attendant along Deanery Road were killed during a police operation on St. John's Road in Spanish Town, St. Catherine.

Senior Superintendent Hopton Nicholson, commanding officer for the St. Catherine North Police Division, told our newsroom the deceased were connected to robberies in the area. He said he could not confirm at this time that they were suspects in the afternoon shooting.

Reports indicate that around 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday, officers acting on intelligence that men sought over the shooting and a string of gas station robberies were in the community arrived and identified themselves as police. The men allegedly produced firearms and opened fire, and officers returned fire. When the shooting ended, two men were found dead and a firearm was reportedly recovered.

Earlier that day, video emerged of a robbery at a service station along Deanery Road around 1:36 p.m. CCTV footage shows a grey Toyota Probox approaching a pump attendant beside a gas pump. After a brief interaction, three men exited the vehicle with what appeared to be firearms. Before what seemed to be a robbery attempt, they prepared to shoot the attendant, who fell to the ground. The men re-entered the vehicle and fled.

A 48-hour curfew has been imposed in Lander Settlement, Royal Flat, Comfort, and Broadleaf District in the Manchester Police Division. It began at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, 8 July, and remains in effect until 6:00 p.m. on Friday, 10 July. During the curfew, residents within the designated boundaries must remain indoors unless authorised by the member of the security forces in charge of enforcement.

An earthquake measuring 3.4 on the Richter scale struck Jamaica at 6:20 p.m. on Wednesday, 8 July. The University of the West Indies Earthquake Unit placed the impact about 11 kilometres south of Hope Bay, Portland. It was also reportedly felt in Kingston and St. Andrew. ODPEM has received no reports of damage but continues to urge preparedness. People who felt the tremor are encouraged to submit reports to the Earthquake Unit.

The Government of Jamaica announced assistance to Venezuela after twin earthquakes on 24 June 2026. Foreign Affairs Minister Senator Kamina Johnson Smith said the move reflects regional solidarity and recalled support from Venezuela after Hurricane Melissa. Jamaica extended condolences as international rescue teams withdraw and recovery work continues.

The modular housing programme has entered a new phase, with construction and assembly now underway after Hurricane Melissa. The Prime Minister said base work should advance enough in coming months to begin handover. About 1,500 modular houses are in Jamaica, with another 1,000 units expected by month-end.

The Chinese Embassy said Chinese companies operating in Jamaica pose no threat and should not have lawful rights undermined by Jamaica's cooperation with the United States. The statement followed reports that US-based firm AECOM will conduct a security assessment of Jamaica's three major commercial ports. The embassy said a Chinese company is a shareholder in the Kingston Freeport Terminal but does not participate in operations.

Government Minister Darrell Vaz's defamation lawsuit against PNP General Secretary Dr. Dayton Campbell has been settled, following earlier agreements with St. Thomas Western MP James Robertson and former MP Anthony Lawrence. The cases stemmed from remarks Campbell made at a PNP conference in Clarendon on 27 July 2023. Under the settlement, Campbell signed a written apology withdrawing the statements as false, must publish a video apology on social media by Thursday, 9 July, apologise in the Jamaica Gleaner and Jamaica Observer, and pay $1.5 million in costs. Robertson and Lawrence also settled; their terms were not made public beyond a Gleaner apology. Campbell declined comment and calls to his attorney went unanswered.

Political commentator Damian Gordon said a Supreme Court ruling that Campbell's statements were defamatory, with damages awarded to Vaz, underscores the need for political criticism to rest on evidence. He said digital recording makes public remarks lasting evidence and may make officials more cautious, though emotional appeals in Jamaica's partisan politics could still encourage personal attacks.