KINGSTON, Jamaica, Apr 28, CMC – The Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) Tuesday said it has launched an investigation into the circumstances of four separate shooting incidents, resulting in the death of five people.
INDECOM is tasked with undertaking impartial investigations and provide fair recommendations regarding actions by members of the Security Forces and other specified officials that result in death, injury, or abuse of rights. It operates independently to hold security forces accountable, aiming to strengthen public trust through investigation of misconduct.
INDECOM said that the latest incidents included one double fatal shooting and three single fatal shootings, adding that “this represents the seventh multiple fatal shooting incident investigated by the Commission for the month of April, with four double fatal shootings and three triple fatal shootings.
“These recent incidents, increase the total fatal shootings for the month of April 2026 to 37 persons who were fatally shot by the Security Forces. Year to date, 113 persons were shot and killed by the Security Forces, while comparatively in 2025 for the same period, 106 persons were shot and killed”.
INDECOM said that a comparable level of fatalities, by Security Force fatal shootings, in a single month was last seen in 2013, when 35 people were shot and killed in June and 40 in October.
It has named those killed recently as Ricardo Gayle, who was shot by the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) at a ZOSO checkpoint, 25 year old, Paul Francis, 27 year old, Omar Hooke, 42 year old, Justin Bondfield and 39 year old, Peter Gooden all shot by the police in separate incidents.
INDECOM said that two of the killings “are reported as involving men with mental health issues.
“Cumulatively, two firearms and a knife were reportedly recovered by the police from the incident scenes of the five deceased men. Additionally, the police have reported that no body worn cameras were worn by the police officers involved in any of these fatal shooting incidents investigated by INDECOM.”
INDECOM said that all incident scenes were examined and the evidential material recovered, processed and packaged. It said the hands of the deceased were swabbed for gunshot residue, and their bodies photographed and sealed, pending post mortem examination.
The concerned officers were served with official notices to submit statements and attend interviews.
“INDECOM continues to encourage citizen participation in the investigative process by providing any known information. Witnesses are asked to provide photos, videos, or information available in relation to these and other fatal shooting incidents,” it added.
CMC/aj/ir/2026