MANCHESTER, Jamaica — Tensions between community reassurance and police accountability emerged in Porus following a deadly security operation that resulted in four fatalities. Manchester’s commanding officer, Superintendent Carey Duncan, addressed residents of St. Toolies during a community walk-through on Tuesday, defending police actions that occurred the previous day.
Superintendent Duncan asserted that police only employ lethal force when confronted with direct threats, stating: “Our responses are consistently proportional to threats directed against us. When perpetrators receive clear instructions to surrender their weapons and instead aim firearms at officers, we respond with equivalent force.” He emphasized that innocent bystanders not posing threats would not have been harmed during Monday’s operation.
The confrontation claimed the lives of three local men—23-year-old Byron McDonald, 26-year-old Teshawn Porteous, and 19-year-old Rasheed Johnson. Police reported a fourth unidentified individual attempted to flee the scene during an alleged exchange of gunfire before being fatally shot in the neighboring Toll Gate area. This incident brings Jamaica’s security forces-involved fatalities to twelve for the current year, with authorities confirming the seizure of a firearm from the scene.
While relatives of the deceased had protested the shootings, many St. Toolies residents expressed support for the police presence. Community members praised law enforcement efforts and requested sustained patrols, particularly near the St. Toolies River area where criminal activity has been reported.
Superintendent Duncan advised residents to remain vigilant against migrant criminals, urging community cooperation: “St. Toolies is traditionally close-knit and family-oriented. If strangers enter your community, we implore you to notify us for proper vetting. Not every newcomer poses a threat, but some do require scrutiny.”
In response to community concerns, Duncan committed to maintaining consistent police patrols, clarifying that Monday’s operation was “strictly intelligence-driven” based on nationwide intelligence gathering rather than reflecting negatively on the community itself.
Councillor Claudia Morant Baker (Jamaica Labour Party, Porus Division) endorsed the police approach, thanking authorities for enabling residents to “sleep in peace” knowing problematic elements had been removed from the community.
The superintendent ruled out imposing curfews unless intelligence indicates impending violence, while also addressing illegal transportation methods. He specifically condemned the dangerous practice of unregulated motorcycle taxis transporting multiple passengers without helmets, emphasizing that such operations would never receive legal authorization.
Police and local officials conducted a thorough assessment of the shooting location during Tuesday’s engagement, seeking to balance community security concerns with appropriate law enforcement practices.