Suspect held after 2-y-o shot dead in Trelawny
Published:Tuesday | March 14, 2023 | 1:07 AMHopeton Bucknor/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
A two-year-old boy was killed on a Sunday evening trip to purchase ice cream in Clark’s Town, Trelawny, allegedly by a man locked in a dispute with the toddler’s stepfather.
The deceased child has been identified as Adrian ‘Chubby’ Campbell, a student at the congregation of Yahweh Basic School.
According to police reports, about 7:30 p.m., Adrian, his mother Shavel Gallimore, and his stepfather Ricardo Brown went to purchase ice cream at a shop in Mack Hill district in Clark’s Town.
On their arrival, a man approached the vehicle in which they were travelling. He pulled a handgun and opened fire.
Adrian was later discovered to be hit. He later died.
Adrian’s mother, who is pregnant and was inside the car, went into shock and had to be rushed to hospital for medical attention.
The alleged gunman, who fled the community after the incident, was arrested by the police in nearby Duncans some two hours later.
On Monday, a tearful Brown told The Gleaner that the dispute with the alleged shooter had its genesis on Friday. Brown claimed that the suspect had threatened him after he intervened when the man reportedly physically assaulted someone.
Brown recalled that they were about to exit the car on Sunday evening, when the shooter approached and pointed a firearm in his direction. He quickly moved out of the way before hearing an explosion.
The distraught stepfather said that when he recomposed himself, he realised that young Adrian, who was behind him, was struck by the bullet, which pierced his headrest.
“Him (Adrian) always happy,” said a weeping Brown. “Whenever mi see him, him always a run up and dung. Him is a loving little boy. One in a million.”
Moreen Gooden, who would occasionally babysit Adrian whenever his mother had to go off on an errand, was also distraught on Monday.
Compounding her grief is the fact that the accused is her grandnephew.
“Mi see him Friday and tell him fi go look work and leave company alone, and see wah him go do deh – shoot the baby and the baby can’t do him nothing,” said Gooden as she called for swift justice.