MONTEGO BAY, St James –

Investigators are probing the circumstances surrounding Tuesday night’s shooting death of a Cuban national, who allegedly drew an illegal firearm on a tour bus operator before being shot during a struggle that ensued between himself and the driver.

Police have identified the deceased as Yosef Gomez Artigas, 30, of Havana, Cuba and Puerto Bello Meadows, St James.

Corporal Peter Salkey, the Constabulary Communication Network (CCN) liaison officer for St James, said that at about 9:40 pm Tuesday, Artigas, who was reportedly unemployed, chartered the tour bus to transport him to Ironshore. However, on reaching a section of the Ironshore main road, the Cuban is alleged to have instructed the tour bus operator to take him to Runaway Bay, St Ann instead.

An argument developed between the two men and Artigas allegedly drew a firearm and pointed it at the driver. A struggle ensued after which an explosion was heard. Artigas alighted from the vehicle and the driver reportedly drove to the Coral Gardens Police Station where he handed over the 9mm semi-automatic pistol loaded with three live rounds.

Artigas was later taken to the MoBay Hope Medical Institution and then transferred to the Cornwall Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Police sources disclose that Artigas was recently charged with illegal possession of firearm by the Westmoreland police and sentenced to three years’ probation in August.

The Coral Gardens Police and the Montego Bay CIB are conducting investigations into the matter. Meanwhile, the seizure of the illegal weapon has brought the tally of illegal firearms taken off the streets by the St James police this year to 65.