INDECOM probes fatal Kingston shooting as MVP mourns coach Steven Francis

The Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) has opened a probe into another fatal police shooting, as several other developments marked Sunday, July 5, 2026, across Jamaica.

Kamar Smith, also known as the patriarch of Loren in Spanish Town, was shot dead during a reported confrontation between police and a group of armed men along Solitier Road in Cochran Gardens, Kingston 11. Officers said they went into the area around 4:30 a.m. to shut down an illegal party and cordoned the location so attendees could be checked before leaving. Several men were seen jumping a perimeter wall, while three others stood on a roof in a yard. Police said one man produced a firearm and fired at them; officers returned fire, and the men jumped from the roof and ran onto premises along Sebrite Drive. A search afterward reportedly found a bloody trail leading toward the York Avenue community. Smith's body was later discovered at 17 York Avenue. Investigators said a semi-automatic pistol with a loaded magazine was seized, and that Smith was a known member of gangs linked to the Waterloo and Lorston areas of Spanish Town, St. Catherine.

Separately, the MVP Track and Field Club is mourning co-founder and technical director Vincent Steven Francis, who died late Saturday, a day after his 64th birthday. In a Sunday statement, the club described him as a visionary coach whose commitment to excellence reshaped Jamaican athletics and inspired generations of athletes. MVP president Bruce James said Francis proved that Jamaican athletes, guided by Jamaican coaches and management and trained at home, could reach the top of world sport. James added that Francis's vision transformed individual careers and Jamaica's global standing, and that his legacy would endure for generations. The club said Francis will also be remembered for speaking directly, developing talent, and the lasting impact he had on athletes' lives. Condolences were extended to his brother Paul Francis and other relatives. Funeral and thanksgiving service details will be announced later.

St. Thomas Fire Department chief Superintendent Mark Harris has called for new or amended legislation to make disaster drills mandatory for all commercial establishments. Addressing Thursday's disaster committee meeting of the St. Thomas Municipal Corporation, Harris said business participation in earthquake simulations and fire drills has been extremely low this year, with most drills held at schools. Since January, the department recorded nine drills in January, six in February, and one in March. Harris said he is proposing that government pass a law requiring businesses to take part.

Justice Minister Delroy Chuck has urged that childhood diversion disciplinary committees be established in schools islandwide. A recommendation has been sent to the parliamentary committee reviewing the Child Diversion Act for their inclusion in the legislation. Chuck said such committees could respond more quickly to deviant behaviour in schools, work that he said should not fall to the Child Diversion Office. He suggested the Child Protection and Family Services Agency or the education ministry as better suited bodies, noting that one or two guidance counsellors may be insufficient in schools with more than a thousand students.