A shooting took place on Carpenter Street in Ladyville Village on Thursday night but the victim and the accused are little boys. The one who got shot is ten years old and he had to undergo surgery to remove a portion of his intestine that was ruptured when the bullet ripped through his body. The other child who had the gun was his 14 year old cousin who lived in the same yard. Officer in Charge at the Ladyville Police Sub-formation, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Chris Noble, says that the incident happened just before eleven o’clock on a street that runs parallel to the Ladyville Police Station, and that investigations are ongoing to determine who is the owner of the gun recovered. He said police heard a loud bang and went to investigate.
A.S.P., Chris Noble, O.C., Ladyville Police Sub-formation
“There was a noise heard in the area of the station; a minor was brought to the station suffering from injuries; he was taken to the taken to the hospital at the Military Camp and he was subsequently transferred to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. A parent brought in another minor and an item which we believe may have been the item that inflicted the injury and we have been looking into why and we have clarified certain points and our investigation continues. The incident occurred directly behind the station on Carpenter Street. The item brought in was a firearm; we have not verified if that is the weapon that did the injury. We have not confirmed if the weapon is a licensed firearm, we are still working on what it is. This incident may have been the result of child’s play but we are still looking into it.”
MARION ALI
“Reports reaching the media is that the firearm belongs to either a police officer or a BDF soldier.”
A.S.P., Chris Noble, O.C., Ladyville Police Sub-formation
“That information to the media, I cannot deny or confirm but I know we do have a weapon and it is in our custody at this time.”
MARION ALI
“Will anybody be held accountable?”
A.S.P., Chris Noble, O.C., Ladyville Police Sub-formation
“Like I said, that part of the investigation we are looking into and the DPP is going to make an ultimate decision on it.”
Following the shooting reporters visited the residence where the boys lived and we spoke with Elaine McCulloch, the mother of Dion Samuels Junior, the ten year old boy who was shot in the abdomen. She says that the family is still at a loss trying to figure out where the gun came from. The shooting, she said, occurred on the street side in front of the yard and a third child witnessed what happened.
ELAINE McCULLOCH
“According to my nephew, they had the gun and they put the bullet in it and shut it.”
MARION ALI
“They were playing with it?”
ELAINE
“I guess.”
MARION ALI
“Is the gun for anyone in the yard? Have you asked anybody where they got the gun from?”
ELAINE McCCULLOCH
“No. Not yet.”
MARION ALI
“Is the 14-year-old in police custody?”
ELAINE
“Yes. Right now, it is confusing; everybody is asking the same question as to where the gun came from and we have no answer to that yet.”
MARION ALI
“What is the doctor’s prognosis?”
ELAINE
“Right now, they are saying that he is stable but if it gets infected they may have to do another surgery because they had to put tubes in. The small intestine and the large intestine; they had to take off about 4 centimeters and they had to put tubes. He is talking now and saying he wants to come home and he asked for his brother and sisters. I asked him if he remembers the incident and he said yes and that he remembers that he got shot. He says the same thing, that his cousin had the gun and he put in the bullet, snap it and just fired it.”
Ten year-old Dion Samuels had just started a camp with the Police Youth Cadet Corps early on Thursday. He is scheduled to return to school in September as a standard three student. Police are awaiting a directive from the Director of Public Prosecutions Office before charges are laid against anyone.
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