TWO policemen were injured in a knife attack yesterday in Waterford, a densely-populated community in Portmore, St Catherine, in the latest of a series of violent incidents in that community which has left three persons dead and three others injured since Saturday.

The police have blamed the outbreak of violence on a gang feud, involving mainly teenage members, who they said have been "running amok" in the community.

The policemen injured yesterday were part of a team conducting patrols and snap raids in the community when they went into a house and attempted to arrest two men after ganja was seen on the floor. However, the police said one of the men pulled a knife and stabbed at one of the cops, injuring him.

According to Inspector Ann Davis of the Waterford Police Station, the cop was spared serious injury when the knife point struck and tore his bullet-proof vest.
"If it were not for his ballistic vest, he would have been seriously injured," Davis said.

The other officer was slashed on his hand after he attempted to fend the knife-wielder off his colleague.

"He received eight stitches to his middle finger," Davis said, as she praised the two officers for their restraint when under attack.

The two men were subdued and taken into custody. Both are facing drug charges while the knife-wielder was charged with wounding with intent, assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest.

Last night, the police named the victims of the violence as 31-year-old Raynor 'Bookie' Hunter, Andrew Higgins, 31, and 20-year-old Sean Ellis.

Hunter and Higgins were among a group of men playing dominoes in a section of Waterford called 'Boston' on Saturday when they were attacked by two armed men who opened fire, hitting the two and three others. Hunter and Higgins were pronounced dead at hospital, while the other three were admitted in serious condition.

Ellis was shot dead at a section of Waterford known as 'Pelpa', while a teenager was shot and injured in the attack.

Meanwhile, the Portmore police reported yesterday that they have also arrested a 17-year-old youth after he was searched and a semi-automatic pistol found in his possession.

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