Four shot, two dead at JLP meeting in MoBay

The police are reporting that two people were shot dead in Sam Sharpe Square in Montego Bay, St James late Sunday evening during a Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) mass meeting.

Head of the St James police, Senior Superintendent Steve McGregor says two other people were injured and have since been rushed to hospital.

McGregor said the people were shot during a reported altercation.

However, he could not offer any further details.

JLP standard bearer for St James West Central, Marlene Malahoo Forte, says one  of those killed was her constituent while a worker is now hospitalised in critical condition.

The shots rang out while JLP leader Andrew Holness was near the end of his presentation, sending people scampering.

It also brought an abrupt end to the meeting.

Close protection officers immediately rushed to the lectern to remove Holness from the stage.

Meeting chairman, Desmond McKenzie, rushed to the microphone asking for calm and for the police to move in to to ensure that there was no harm.

He also immediately brought the meeting to a close saying it was not the kind of ending that the JLP had expected.

But even before McKenzie announced that end of the meeting, Labourites had already began to scamper, including politicians who were on the stage.