A 23-year-old man was fatally shot by the police and a firearm taken from him in Spanish Town, St Catherine, yesterday, police reported.

Police say the man was shot after he fired at members of a police team on the Salt Pond main road in the Old Capital.

He was later identified as Lavour Pinnock, otherwise called 'Blingas', of Quarry Hill, Lakes Pen, in St Catherine.

According to police reports, about 11:20 a.m., a team of police personnel went to a construction site at the Salt Pond main road. When the police approached, three men ran off, pulled guns and opened fire at the lawmen.

The police chased the men and returned the fire. While searching the nearby bushes, Pinnock was seen and he fired at the police, who returned the fire, hitting him.

A Sig Sauer 9mm pistol with serial numbers erased and one 9mm cartridge were taken from him. He was taken to the Spanish Town Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Police combed the surrounding areas for the other men, but they were not found.