Maroon traumatised!

Latoya Blake, the mother of six-year-old Tyrece Wint, one of the two boys who were shot and injured during a confrontation at a party in Accompong Town, St Elizabeth, on Thursday night, is distressed about the incident and is also peeved that up to 6 p.m. yesterday she has not been paid a visit by any of the Maroon officials, including Chief Richard Currie.

The incident which saw six persons being shot, one fatally, reportedly stemmed from an alleged confrontation between a member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force and a group of men at a party being held in the Maroon community about 9 p.m.

The police have since released the identity of the deceased as Lloyd Davis of Bethsalem district, also in St Elizabeth.

Blake told The Gleaner that her son was shot shortly after his father, Anthony Wint, drove to the community and was walking along the roadway with the child.

“Him father just come fi him an decide that him a walk him out, but him seh when him reach a little way up di road close to Ferdie Lawn, him hear gunshot start fire, and si people a run all ova di place,” she said.

“Mi babyfather seh him tek up mi son an start run back down the hill, and is when him reach a little cover, a that time him realise seh him get shot inna him back.”

She said that a motorist rushed her son to the Black River Hospital where he was treated. The shaken mother said her entire family was traumatied.

Blake said she suffers from high blood pressure and other ailments, and since the incident on Thursday night, her condition has worsened. She bemoans the constant pain her son has been experiencing since he returned from the hospital.

The mother told The Gleaner that since her child was shot, only the police and other investigators have visited her family.

“None a the Maroon officials, nor wi chief mi don’t si since mi son get shot, if it was even fi come enquire, but not one a dem nuh show up,” the woman lamented.

The Gleaner made several attempts to contact the Maroon chief for a comment, but his cell phone rang without an answer.

Acting as security personnel

One senior member of the Maroon community told The Gleaner that Davis and a group of men were acting as security personnel outside an event which was being held in the community when things turned ugly.

He said the off-duty cop and a group of family members allegedly wanted to enter Ferdie Lawn when a dispute developed between one of the officer’s relatives and the security team, including Davis.

“Is like the bredda name Lloyd and sum a fi him other man dem draw fi bottle, and start fling bottle, a that time mi hear seh the policeman get injured, and him haffi pull him gun and fire shot ... .”

Following the incident, the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) said it has begun an investigation into the shooting incident by the off-duty policeman.

In its release, INDECOM stated that the off-duty police officer was in attendance at an event in the Accompong Town community when he allegedly attempted to intervene in a fight between two men.

INDECOM said investigations revealed that the officer was attacked, during which he discharged his service Glock pistol.