Suspected gunman-on-the-loose Omari Gordon is thought to have been on a mission of revenge against a rival who stabbed him in a fight when Police intervened and ended up getting shot at themselves.

A man believed to be Gordon was acting suspiciously outside Reid Street's Club Vintage nightclub in the early hours of Saturday, a source close to the investigation told The Royal Gazette yesterday.

Officers approached him but he sped away and led them across the back of town, ultimately reaching Middletown where he shot at them before they retreated.

Last night, he was believed to be hiding in a house in the back of town area with the help of a friend. Police, who have stepped up their manhunt, warned whoever is harbouring him could also face being sent to prison and urged both to give themselves up.

Gordon, 26, and a soon-to-be-father, is said to have grown up in 42nd Street and locals have connected him with gang activity in the area — but they describe him as a follower rather than a ringleader.

Some months ago, Gordon needed hospital treatment after being stabbed as he tried to defend a friend who was being attacked in a club. The source told this newspaper Gordon was thought to have been seeking retribution for that incident.

At about 3 a.m. on Saturday, Police spotted a man thought to be Gordon moving very slowly on his motorcycle, with the lights off, outside Club Vintage.

Officers pursued him to ask him to pull over but he sped off, leading them into the Court Street area and then Middletown before his bike slipped as he attempted to ride up a path.

He then started running up the embankment and turned to fire at the officers, who were continuing their chase. The officers retreated and called for assistance.

The area is densely populated and it is thought Gordon sought refuge in a nearby home, where he remains.

People in the Middletown area say violence has plagued the area and that certain parts are a no-go zone, with conflicts between people living just yards away from each other.

One man who knows Gordon said: "To me, he's just a member of the duck family. You see all the little chicks following their mama — he's like that. He's a follower, not a leader.

"He hangs out in 42nd Street and the St. Monica's Road area sometimes. He's probably got mates there that are helping him."

One woman living nearby said: "They are one clique down there (Middletown). There's always trouble down there.

"You can see why they're always too afraid to speak to the Police. They have got guns and they know what will happen to them.

"People ask me why I'm not afraid to be here but it's only because the other's protect me."

Police spokesman Dwayne Caines said last night: "Police have stepped up their manhunt and are still appealing for Mr. Gordon to turn himself in. It would be in his best interests to do so.

"We believe that he has been aided and abetted by someone and that person is now harbouring a fugitive. They are putting themselves at risk and the community at risk. The end result is that they can be brought before a court and they are looking at a fine and/or time behind bars."

Mr. Caines said the officers involved had been very resilient and were now receiving counselling as part of the Police force's support protocol.

Police are not revealing how many shots were fired, what type of gun was used or whether any bullets have been found.

Public Safety Minister David Burch and his press officer have not replied to The Royal Gazette's requests for a comment.

Yesterday, this newspaper reported that the last time a gun was fired against a Police officer prior was believed to be the murder of Commissioner George Duckett in September 1972 by Erskine Durrant (Buck) Burrows.

However, it has since been pointed out that a man was convicted in 1986 for shooting then Police Constable Harold Beckles and another man, and firing at a third man. He was sentenced to 14 years in prison.

• Anyone with information about the Middletown incident or Omari Gordon's whereabouts should call the Serious Crime Unit on 299-4315 or the confidential Crimestoppers hotline on 1-800-623-8477.