Two killed in Kingston 11 vehicle attack as police chief cites force discipline gaps

Two people were shot dead in an attack in the St. Andrew South police division on Tuesday afternoon, including a 21-year-old Portmore Community College student and a 22-year-old in-drive operator from Walkway Britain Phase 4 in Portmore.

The deceased have been identified as Brianna Taylor and Ameka Anglin. A third occupant of the vehicle, a 19-year-old man, was not injured. Investigators said the shooting took place around 3:30 p.m. along Upper Molynes Road in Kingston 11.

Police said Mr. Anglin had picked up Miss Taylor and the other passengers in Kingston. During the journey, passengers reportedly overheard him say he had an item to deliver while receiving directions over the phone. On arrival, a man signalled for the driver to stop. Mr. Anglin allegedly handed the man a package said to contain soap, but it was immediately thrown back into the vehicle. The man then reportedly pulled a firearm, opened fire on the vehicle, and fled on foot.

Both victims were taken to Kingston Public Hospital. Miss Taylor was pronounced dead on arrival, while Mr. Anglin later died during treatment. Investigators said the attack was captured on closed-circuit television cameras and the footage is being reviewed as officers work to identify the gunman. Police are appealing to anyone with information to contact the nearest police station.

In a separate development, Police Commissioner Dr. Kevin Blake has acknowledged that misconduct, non-compliance, and indiscipline remain organisational challenges within the Jamaica Constabulary Force, despite progress in strengthening systems and professional standards. Writing recently in his commissioner's corner column, Dr. Blake said recognising and addressing those shortcomings is essential to building a modern, accountable police service.

"The truth is that despite our achievements, we continue to encounter instances of non-conformity, non-compliance, indiscipline, and at times conduct that falls below the professional standards expected of members of this organization. We must be mature enough to acknowledge that reality," he said.

The comments come as the force continues to expand its quality management system under the ISO 9001 standard, with several formations undergoing annual surveillance audits and eight additional formations being assessed for certification for the first time. Dr. Blake said findings of non-conformity during external audits should be treated as opportunities to strengthen systems rather than viewed solely as deficiencies.

In Manchester, head of the parish police Deputy Superintendent Aden Dennis told residents at the Greenville Community Centre on Wednesday evening that the nightly curfew in the troubled area will be lifted on Thursday, with the hope that it remains free of major crimes.

"As of tomorrow, we will not be having the curfew element of the measures we have put in place in the community," he said. He cautioned that the curfew would remain lifted only if peace is maintained, and warned that police would reinstitute it if necessary. A nightly curfew was imposed in Greenville last Monday, two days after a man was shot in the face while sitting in a vehicle in a section of the community. The man was hospitalised following that incident.

Civil society has renewed calls for Cabinet Minister Dr. Andrew Wheatley to step aside from his ministerial responsibilities, despite the Integrity Commission's decision to wait until a July 23 Supreme Court hearing before charging him. The commission has recommended that Dr. Wheatley face four criminal charges, including illicit enrichment involving approximately $164 million in unexplained wealth allegedly amassed between 2013 and 2022. Dr. Wheatley's legal team filed an affidavit and application on June 23 seeking leave to apply for judicial review in the Supreme Court.

Jeanette Calder, executive director of the Jamaica Accountability Meter Portal, said Tuesday that the Integrity Commission's report is of such magnitude that it requires Dr. Wheatley to step aside, or that Prime Minister Andrew Holness should remove him from cabinet while the allegations remain unresolved. Keisha Osborne of the Advocates Network contended that the Prime Minister has a duty to uphold cabinet integrity, saying the situation is placing a cloud over the Andrew Holness-led government. Jamaica Chamber of Commerce President Emile Lee-Bow said Dr. Wheatley's court challenge underscores the need for a special division of the court focused on resolving governance matters expeditiously.