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Woman accidentally shot by licensed firearm holder in Liguanea

Published:Thursday | May 3, 2018 | 12:00 AMPaul H Williams
Police investigators at the scene where a woman was accidentally shot by a licensed firearm holder in Liguanea, St Andrew - Norman Grindley photo

A woman had to be rushed to hospital after being accidentally shot by a licensed firearm holder  in the vicinity of the Sovereign Centre in St Andrew this morning.

It's reported that the gun owner opened fire in reaction to a windscreen wiper, but hit the woman, causing her to fall to the ground.

A medical doctor and bystanders rushed to the scene and assisted the injured woman into a sport utility vehicle and took her to hospital.

The Gleaner attempted to speak with the alleged shooter, who was accompanied by a policeman, but he refused to answer questions.

He was shielded by the policeman, who took him inside the popular shopping centre.

By now a crowd had converged on the scene, wondering what was causing the uproar.

As The Gleaner was about to leave, another policeman, who was seen with the alleged shooter, approaching the scene of the incident.

That policeman too refused to answer The Gleaner’s questions and instructed the alleged shooter not to speak.

 

Windscreen Wiper Speaks 

However, the windscreen wiper, Christopher Rhoden, who was the alleged target of the officer, told The Gleaner his side of the story.

Rhoden said he approached the man's car and attempted to wipe his windscreen but would not be allowed.

According to Rhoden: “Him select up him gun, so mi say, 'bossy, what dat fah? A wah yuh a go do? Kill mi inna de mawnin ya?' Him say him nah tek no check from no man.”

He said the driver then parked at a gas station, exited the car and chased him.

“Run him a run mi dung now, and select the gun, and fire it … and it (the bullet) end up in a woman right over deh suh; fi nutten at all,” Rhoden alleged.

Two male bystanders who alleged that they witnessed the incident echoed Rhoden’s account to The Gleaner.

“Mi call to the man before the man fire the gun, enuh, an de man still fire the gun. Di man is a wicked man. Dem people deh nuh fi have gun. Because mi call to de man, when mi call to the man, the man turn 'roun and look pon mi!” alleged one of the eyewitnesses.

The Gleaner subsequently spoke with the medical doctor who accompanied the injured woman to hospital.

He said that she seemed to have been shot three times, twice in the abdomen and once in a leg.

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