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KINGSTON, Jamaica--The two police constables who died in a murder-suicide in the early hours of yesterday have been identified as best friends Keemo Walsh and Andualy Smith.

Smith, who was with Walsh at the Grass Hoppa Bar and Grill in White River celebrating another friend's birthday, allegedly shot Walsh around 3:00am and then turned the gun on himself. It is unclear whether the shooting was intentional or accidental.

The incident occurred just hours into the day of Smith's own birthday. The Jamaica Observer reported that he committed suicide while in a vehicle transporting his injured friend to the hospital.

The newspaper said there were unconfirmed reports that after shooting Walsh, Smith called for backup, only telling his colleagues that Walsh had been shot. Police officers then reportedly went to the scene, not knowing that Smith was the shooter. His firearm was therefore not taken from him. As he sat in the service vehicle which was transporting Walsh to the hospital, Smith shot himself.

However, police have not confirmed the events leading up to or after the shooting. "We can only confirm that two policemen from my division are dead and they died under very tragic circumstances and the information we have is that one shot the other and shot himself afterwards.

The investigators are carrying out in-depth investigations at the moment," acting head of the St Ann Police, Superintendent Steve Brown said, adding that the mood in the division was "sombre".

"The two police officers who died were very, very well-known and very popular. They were best friends; you never see one without the other. Two talented, two bright young men. It's a really, really sad mood in St Ann."

Police Commissioner Dr Carl Williams offered condolences to the deceased policemen's families.

"This unfortunate incident has left us all in mourning and I want to assure the families that the division's finest are working to ensure that the matter is thoroughly and speedily investigated," he said.