Dewar Archibald, described as a high-risk criminal, was among three fatalities in a St Andrew confrontation after officers say he and armed associates opened fire.
An alleged member of the Speculation Gang was among three persons fatally shot during a police operation in the Red Hills area of St Andrew early Sunday morning, according to reporting by the Jamaica Observer. The deceased has been identified as Dewar Archibald, nicknamed “Max”, whom police described as a high-risk criminal target implicated in serious organized crime.
According to police accounts, a Specialised Operations team received intelligence around 1:45 am that armed individuals in a red Honda HR-V and white Toyota Probox were preparing to commit crimes in the St Andrew North Police Division. When officers attempted to intercept the vehicles, occupants of the Honda HR-V allegedly opened fire on police, who returned fire. The driver of the Probox escaped. Three gunshot victims were subsequently located; the identities of the other two fatalities have not been released.
Investigators had linked Archibald to a pattern of organized criminal activity spanning multiple parishes and months. He was implicated in the December 2025 murder of Chevardo Messam in Crawford, St Elizabeth, and the January 2026 killing of Kemar Brown in Bristol, St Ann, during which a woman was also injured. Police also connected him to an attempted ATM theft shooting in Drax Hall, St Ann, in April, and a series of robberies and break-ins targeting automated teller machines, remittance agencies, and other cash-heavy businesses in Linstead, Kingston, and Crofts Hill between February and June.
The Jamaica Observer reports that investigators believed Archibald was part of a broader organized criminal network operating across several parishes. The Independent Commission of Investigations has been notified of the incident, and investigations are continuing.
The Speculation Gang has been a focus of Jamaica’s law enforcement efforts in recent years as organized crime groups have increasingly targeted financial infrastructure and cash-intensive businesses across the island. ATM robberies and break-ins at remittance agencies represent a significant crime category affecting both businesses and the communities they serve.
This incident reflects ongoing challenges with organized armed robbery and gang violence in Jamaica, matters of concern to diaspora communities with family and business ties to the island. The targeting of remittance agencies is particularly relevant to Caribbean families who depend on money transfers from abroad.
Written & Edited by Orlyn Edwards. Published by Caribbean Air Force Media.
Category: News · Island routing: Jamaica