Spanish Town Police Shootout Leaves Two Dead After Gas Station Attacks

Two men believed to be connected to a string of gas station robberies in St. Catherine were killed Wednesday night when police exchanged gunfire with them on St. John's Road in Spanish Town. Senior Superintendent Hopton Nicholson, commanding officer for the St. Catherine North Police Division, told reporters the deceased were involved in robberies in the area, though he could not yet confirm they were the gunmen in a separate shooting of a pump attendant on Dinah Avenue Road earlier that afternoon.

Police said they moved on intelligence around 9:00 p.m. that the men sought over the shooting and the robberies were in the community. Officers reportedly identified themselves upon arrival, after which the group allegedly drew firearms and opened fire. Police returned fire, and when the exchange ended two men were found with gunshot wounds. A firearm was reportedly recovered at the scene.

Earlier Wednesday, CCTV footage circulated of an incident at a service station along Dinard Road around 1:36 p.m. The video shows a grey Toyota Probox approaching a pump attendant beside a fuel pump. After a brief exchange, three men left the vehicle with what appeared to be guns before what looked like a robbery attempt. The attendant was shot, fell to the ground, and the men fled in the vehicle.

A 48-hour curfew took effect at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 8, in Land Settlement, Royal Flat, Comfort, and Broadleaf District within the Manchester Police Division, running until 6:00 p.m. on Friday, July 10. Residents in the designated areas must remain indoors unless authorised by the security forces member enforcing the order.

Jamaica recorded a 3.4-magnitude earthquake at 6:20 p.m. on Wednesday, July 8, with the epicentre 11 km south of Hope Bay, Portland, according to the Earthquake Unit at the University of the West Indies. Tremors were reportedly felt in Kingston and St. Andrew. The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management said it had received no damage reports but urged the public to stay prepared. Anyone who felt the quake was encouraged to submit reports to the Earthquake Unit.

Foreign Affairs Minister Senator Kamina Johnson Smith said Jamaica will provide humanitarian assistance to Venezuela after twin earthquakes struck that country on June 24, 2026, citing regional solidarity and past support from Venezuela after Hurricane Melissa. The government extended condolences as international rescue teams withdraw and recovery work continues.

The modular housing programme introduced after Hurricane Melissa has entered a construction and assembly phase. The Prime Minister said base work and unit assembly should advance enough in coming months to begin handovers, noting shipping delays have been resolved. About 1,500 modular houses are already in Jamaica, with another 1,000 units expected by month-end.

The Chinese Embassy in Jamaica said Chinese companies operating locally pose no threat and should not see their lawful rights undermined by Jamaica's cooperation with the United States. The statement followed reports that US firm AECOM will conduct a security assessment of Jamaica's three major commercial ports. The embassy noted a Chinese company holds shares in the Kingston Freeport Terminal but does not run port operations.

A defamation suit brought by Government Minister Daryl Vaz against People's National Party General Secretary Dr. Dayton Campbell has been settled. Under the agreement, Dr. Campbell signed a written apology withdrawing remarks made at a PNP constituency conference in Clarendon on July 27, 2023, acknowledging they had "no foundation in truth" and were "categorically false." He must record and post a video apology by Thursday, July 9, publish the apology in the Jamaica Gleaner and Jamaica Observer, and pay $1.5 million toward costs. St. Thomas Western MP James Robertson and former MP Othneil Lawrence, who sued over similar comments at the same event, also reached settlements requiring apologies, including publication in the Gleaner.