UPDATED: 4-y-o among 14 killed in police shooting incidents in first days of 2026
Published:Wednesday | January 7, 2026 | 12:09 PMCorey Robinson/Senior Staff Reporter
A four-year-old child is among 14 persons shot and killed in incidents involving the police during the first six days of the new year, sparking concerns from the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) regarding the number of fatal incidents, particularly those involving minors.
The latest deaths come from two incidents, one a triple fatal shooting, and the other a single fatal shooting in Manchester and Clarendon, respectively on Monday. The Manchester incident was the third triple fatal shooting, with two others occurring on January 1, in St James; and Westmoreland; and two single fatal shooting incidents in Kingston.
“The six incidents, on January 1 and 5, increases the year to date total fatal shootings for 2026 to 12 persons shot and killed by the security forces. Two of the incidents were reported as planned operations,” the release read, highlighting a longstanding controversy regarding the utilisation of body-worn cameras by officers on operations. None were worn on those police operations this year.
“Whilst every loss of life is deemed unfortunate, it is particularly disheartening when a minor is harmed. The importance of proper planning to limit the fatality of civilians is paramount. INDECOM reiterates the need for officers to be provided with body-worn cameras on planned operations,” offered Deputy Commissioner of INDECOM Yanique Taylor-Wellington.
“INDECOM notes with concern the alarming increase in fatal shootings recorded in Jamaica during 2025, and the troubling manner in which 2026 has commenced as it relates to deaths by state agents. At the end of 2025, 311 persons were shot and killed by the police, representing a 65% increase over the previous year,” she said. “That equates to an additional 122 citizens losing their lives by members of the security forces. Already in 2026, twelve persons have been shot and killed over a two day period.”
MINORS KILLED
Among the minors killed this year were four-year-old Romaine Bowman and 16-year-old Kevaun Martinez, both in a fatal shooting incident in Granville, St James. Fifteen-year-old Romaine Campbell was also fatally shot in an incident in Bethel Town, Westmoreland.
In 2025, six minors were fatally shot and two were shot and injured. Of the six, two were 17; three were 16; and another was 15-years-old; while in 2024, six minors were also fatally shot and two were shot and injured. Last year, a 17-year-old and a 15-year-old were also shot and injured last year; while in 2024 two minors were shot and injured in police encounters.
Cumulatively, eight illegal weapons were recovered by the cops in six incidents, INDECOM said, adding that the shooting scenes were examined, evidential material recovered, processed and packaged and that the hands of the deceased were swabbed for gunpowder residue. The officers involved were also served and processed, the release said.
As for the incident involving the four-year-old, the Commission reported that: “The investigation still remains in its preliminary phases of enquiry, to ascertain the circumstances resulting in the fatal shooting of three persons (of which there were two minors) and non-fatal injury of a woman. It is reported that the incident occurred from a joint police-military operation.”
“The commission is hopeful that outstanding forensic material will be able to shed more light during the investigation,” INDECOM responded to the Gleaner’s questions.
The data follows INDECOM’s report last October that one in every five police operations in which a civilian is killed, a female occupant, usually with children, is removed or barred from the ill-fated area moments before cops opened fire.
INDECOM noted the worrying trend in a Special Investigative Report on Planned Operations, in which it also cited questionable acts by the police including: tampering with CCTV footage, failure to activate body-worn cameras, improper handling of weapons and evidence, and the widespread use of flawed search warrants.
The report stated that oftentimes women and children are removed from ill-fated scenes before so-called shootouts between the security forces and the accused individuals begins.
The report noted that between January 1 and September 30 last year, 67 officers had been brought under investigation for alleged use of excessive force. Of those, 49 have been charged with murder. The trend in fatal police shootings has risen steadily over the years with 127 in 2021, 134 in 2022, 155 in 2023, and 189 in 2024.
(EDITOR'S NOTE: A previous version of this article stated that the four-year-old was shot and killed by the police. We regret the error as it has not yet been determined who fired the fatal shot)
List of people killed since the start of the year:
The deceased persons in five of the six incidents have been identified as:
Incidents on January 1 (Four incidents)
29-year-old Shamar Turner (Fatal shooting on Mannings Hill Road, Kingston 19)
Four-year-old Romaine Bowman (Fatal shooting in Granville, St. James)
16-year-old Kevaun Martinez (Fatal shooting in Granville, St James)
24-year-old Desmond Dunkley (Fatal Shooting in Granville, St. James)
44-year-old Corel Wint (Fatal shooting in Olympic Gardens, Kingston 11)
37-year-old Delano Leslie (Fatal shooting in Bethel Town, Westmoreland)
15-year-old Romaine Campbell (Fatal shooting in Bethel Town, Westmoreland)
Christopher Campbell (Fatal shooting in Bethel Town, Westmoreland)
Incidents on January 5 (Two incidents)
23-year-old Byron McDonald (Fatal shooting in St. Toolies, Manchester)
26-year-old Teshawn Porteous (Fatal shooting in St. Toolies, Manchester)
19-year-old Rasheed Johnson (Fatal shooting in St. Toolies, Manchester)`
The deceased man in the fatal shooting in Clarendon Park is unidentified at this time.
Information for two other victims recorded on Tuesday were unavailable up to press time.
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. The information should be shared via INDECOM’s Whatsapp number (876)553-0000 or persons may visit any INDECOM regional office or contact our office at 876-968-1932 or 876-968-8875.