Counsel shooters!

• Professor, cop say licensed firearm holders involved in fatal shootings should receive psychological aid

Two men who forcibly entered properties belonging to separate licensed firearm holders were shot and killed yesterday, leading to suggestions that counselling should be offered as a matter of course for shooters in such cases.

One of the dead men has been identified as 53-year-old Michael 'Tony' Ffolkes of Sunrise Crescent, Kingston, but up to late last evening the police had not released information on the second incident, which happened in an upscale community around 1 p.m.

In the first incident, the Constabulary Communication Network said the firearm holder was visiting with a friend in the Westminster Road, Eastwood Park Garden, area when he heard sounds coming from the back of the house around 4:10 a.m.

The man went to investigate and found Folkes making his entry through a back door.

On entering, Ffolkes reportedly attacked the man with a knife and was shot. The Half-Way Tree police were summoned and Ffolkes was taken to the Kingston Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

'Shaken up'

The Gleaner learnt that in the second incident, a licensed firearm holder was returning to his premises when he saw a man exiting his house through an open window. He raised an alarm and the burglar reportedly came in the direction of the homeowner in a threatening manner.

The homeowner opened fire, hitting the man who ran from the property before collapsing in an adjoining apartment complex.

The firearm holder is said to have been "shaken up" by the incident.

In fatal shootings involving policemen, the law-enforcement personnel are immediately debriefed and taken to mandatory counselling by professionals within the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).

Yesterday, psychology Professor Christopher Charles, from Monroe College in the United States, said counselling should be recommended for private citizens who are forced to defend themselves with deadly results.

"The senior investigating officer should encourage counselling after he/she has collected statements," Charles, a Jamaican who is currently in the island, told The Gleaner. "This is because fatal shootings can be a traumatic experience, and each individual may react differently in such occurrences."

Mental-health services

The psychologists said the individuals involved in the shootings should be apprised of the range of mental-health services available and how to access them.

A police officer who did not wished to be identified agreed with Charles.

He said that as it is mandatory for members of the JCF who are trained to use their firearm and taught the circumstances in which it should be discharged, he believed private citizens should also receive counselling.

"Everyone involved in a fatal shooting should receive some form of counselling. I don't think we can legislate it, but I believe most people who apply for a firearm hope they never have to pull the trigger, but will do so just in case," he said.

According to the police officer, people have varying reactions "either from the questioning of police officials, or from friends and family who just want to know what happened".

It was not clear yesterday how many similar shootings have taken place since the start of the year.