Police lay charges in Trelawny shooting, St. James gang probe and Portmore vehicle fraud cases

Police have laid charges in several matters across Jamaica, including a Trelawny shooting investigation, alleged gang activity linked to western parishes, and a Portmore vehicle fraud case, while anger continued in Granville, St. James, after a fatal police shooting.

Andrew Morrison, 39, otherwise called Demantis, a mason of Providence Heights, St. James, has been charged over an October 18, 2025 shooting in Hastings district, Duncans, Trelawny. He faces charges of shooting with intent, using a firearm to commit a felony, unauthorized possession of ammunition, and assault at common law. Police said Ryan Morrison, 25, otherwise called Attender, a construction worker of Hastings district, had earlier been charged in the same matter. Investigators reported that a man was walking about 11:30 p.m. when both accused allegedly attacked him with a gun. The complainant escaped unharmed and made a report. Ryan Morrison was charged on October 24, 2025, while Andrew Morrison was arrested on May 9 and charged on May 17 after an identification parade. Andrew Morrison is due before the Western Regional Gun Court in St. James on July 13.

In Granville, residents mounted fiery roadblocks on Monday after 45-year-old Latoya Boothe-Bullgin was fatally shot by police on Sunday. Firefighters had put out most of the blazes by shortly after 10 a.m., while police led by Senior Superintendent Aaron Samuels and an INDECOM team headed by Regional Director Warren Williams remained in the community. Residents claimed Boothe-Bullgin was killed during a stop involving her black Toyota Voxy while protesting the police killing of her 17-year-old cousin, TJ Edwards, the previous Sunday. A woman who said she was inside the vehicle alleged that Boothe-Bullgin had shown police a foreign driver’s licence before a shot was fired. Williams urged witnesses to give statements, and Councillor Michael Troupe said he would cooperate with INDECOM.

In Portmore, 44-year-old car salesman Adrian Cope, otherwise called AJ, has been charged with fraudulent conversion and breaches of the Consumer Protection Act. Police said complainants paid $400,000 in one case and $210,000 plus US$800 in another as down payments for vehicles from overseas, but the vehicles were not delivered and no refunds were made. His court date is being finalised.

St. James police also charged Richard Donney, 43, of Dome Lane, and Tyrone Murray, 23, otherwise called Alex, of John’s Hall, with being members of a criminal organisation. Police said the investigation concerns incidents in Hanover, St. James, Trelawny and Manchester between June and September 2025. Their court date is also being finalised.