Gunmen used an infant as a shield during an hours-long standoff with police in Five Miles, Sligoville in the hills of St Catherine on Friday morning.

That’s according to Senior Communications Strategist at the Jamaica Constabulary Force, JCF, Senior Superintendent Dennis Brooks.

Residents in the vicinity of Five Miles in St. Catherine are accustomed to peaceful mornings.

But that peace was shattered early Friday morning when they were jolted awake by gunfire echoing through the surrounding bushes.

The gunfire exploded as a joint police-military operation got underway in Five Miles to capture a man, who lawmen describe as a high target.

The target, believed to be a former soldier, is wanted by the St Andrew Andrew North Police.

The police have reportedly been pursuing him for several months.

They finally caught up with him in the Five Miles area, one of his alleged bases of operation.

The JCF’s Senior Communications Strategist, Senior Superintendent Dennis Brooks, reports that the target and other gunmen fired at the lawmen from behind an infant.

Corporal Trevoy Shaw from the Special Operations was shot and killed in the standoff.

Another policeman, a constable, was shot in the head.

He’s battling for life in hospital.

A third lawman suffered minor injuries. He was grazed by a bullet.

A 10-year girl, said to be the daughter of one of the gunmen, was also shot in the incident.

She’s told doctors treating her at the hospital that it was her father who shot her.

Three of the gunmen were shot and killed.

According to SSP Brooks, one of the gunmen was the estranged son of a retired JCF member.

He adds that two firearms were recovered.

SSP Dennis Brooks, Senior Communications Strategist at the Jamaica Constabulary Force, JCF.