WESTERN BUREAU:

An 18-year-old man, whom authorities say was a member of the notorious Stone Crusher Gang based in Norwood, St. James, was killed by the Montego Bay police in an alleged shoot-out yesterday morning.

Reports are that a firearm was also recovered from the gangster, identified as Carl Samuels, also known as 'Dudus' and 'Latty', of Paradise, Norwood.

"The incident occurred at approximately 8:00 a.m. when police went to a premises on Sunvalley Road (in Glendevon) to make inquiries," said Corporal Peter Salkey, Constabulary Communication Network liaison officer for St. James.

Two men were reportedly seen at the back of the premises coming through a fence from an adjoining property. It is said that they fired on the lawmen and ran.

Cornered at a house

Further reports are that the police gave chase and one of the gunmen was cornered at a house in Birch Hill, Green Pond, where he pointed a gun at the police. He was shot and a Black Hawk .357 revolver with a live round and a spent shell, all .38 cartridges, were taken from him.

The Stone Crusher Gang has been fingered as a major criminal network in St. James, and has been linked to a spate of heinous murders and shootings, including last November's ambush of three police constables, who were shot and wounded in the Salt Spring area.