By RASHAD ROLLE and RIEL MAJOR

UPDATE: POLICE killed three men during ‪a s‬hootout at a home off the Eastern Road early ‪Friday morning‬.

The men allegedly opened fire on police officers as they executed a search warrant at a large home on Newgate Road off the Eastern Road.

Police discovered 22lbs of marijuana and two additional firearms after further search of the property, according to Chief Superintendent Solomon Cash, who confirmed several people were taken into custody at the scene.

According to The Tribune’s records, there have been four fatal police shootings this year.

Police have not identified the victims but The Tribune understands the deceased men are Jamal Penn aka”Foolish”, Valentino Pratt aka “T-boy” and Trever Cooper aka “Coopz.”

According to Mr Cash, police launched a manhunt operation in the area to locate a wanted suspect for the most recent homicide and the most recent shootings in New Providence sometime after ‪2.30am‬.

“As a result of this information officers executed a search warrant on a property,“ said CSP Cash.

CSP Cash said officers entered the property they were confronted by two armed suspects who opened fire on the officers.

He said: “The officers being in fear of their life returned fire. Both suspects were shot fatally. The officers then proceeded to the interior of the building which they breached.

“As they breached the interior they were confronted by a third armed suspect. As a result of that, officers being in fear of their life opened fire which resulted in the third suspect being shot and fatally injured.”

Mr Cash said Coroner Jeanine Weech Gomez visited the scene.

POLICE killed three men during an early Friday morning operation, Chief Superintendent Solomon Cash said.

This is the most fatalities recorded in a single police-involved shooting incident in recent memory.

It happened at a large pink residence with white trim on Newgate Road off the Eastern Road.

Mr Cash said police took several people into custody after the confrontation but he did not elaborate on who and how many were taken. After the incident, a police van left the area with what appeared to be about several children no older than 12 inside. The van returned several minutes later but soon left again with a light skinned man inside.

Mr Cash said: "Sometime around 2.30am this morning police received information relative to a wanted suspect for the most recent homicide in New Providence. As a result of this information officers executed a search warrant on a property. Once officers entered the property they were confronted by two armed suspects who opened fire on the officers. The officers being in fear of their life returned fire. Both suspects were shot fatally. The officers then proceeded to the interior of the building which they breached.

"As they breached the interior they were confronted by a third armed suspect. As a result of that, officers being in fear of their life opened fire which resulted in the third suspect being shot and fatally injured. I can tell you once the gunfire subsided the officers were able to recover three weapons."

Mr Cash said Coroner Jeanine Weech Gomez visited the scene. He said at least one of the deceased men were known to police.

About 20 minutes after updating the press, numerous officers drew their guns and ran in the easternly direction toward a car. It appeared they arrested someone but police did not confirm this.

A woman showed up to the scene and broke down in tears.

Mr Cash said concerned residents had alerted police to strange activity at the location.

By 7am this morning, curious residents began to assmble to find out what happened.

Two of them told The Tribune they never suspected criminal activity was taking place at the pink building.

Unusually for the area, people were never seen going in and out of the house, they said.