The Tribune

By Earyel Bowleg

Tribune Staff Reporter – At the scene of the shooting

Within minutes of the shooting crowds of people were on the streets anxious to know what had happened.

Very quickly the scale of the ambiush became clear and people realised their relatives and friends were among the dead

One woman, believed to be the mother of one of the victims, was allowed beyond the police yellow tape but not too close to where police were still examining the scene.

As the scale of the incident became clearer the growing crowd of observers had to be moved back by police from the scene of the massacre.

The Tribune spoke to one employee of a local business who said he was walking across the road when the attack broke out.

“While I’m walking cross the road... that’s when I hear the first ‘pap’. When I look across the road, that’s when I see three dudes in the road, all black ski mask up - everything.”

He said the men had “heavy artillery” and were running towards the car where the six men died. He also recalled the child and a woman trying to get out.

“The girl ain’t nobody help her out that car. She burst that glass out, jump through the window. When she gone to move off, she hear her baby screaming, that’s when her motherness kick in and spin around and get the baby and walk out.”

Witness Terez Johnson said the woman and baby were “bloody” and he ran straight to them.

“It was me along with two other ladies and we were just praying….praying over them. Then a few guys came and help left them up,” he said.

He remembered the woman was lying down while others at the scene held a cloth to her head.

Mr Johnson said: “When the ambulance came, me along with two other guys helped lift the mummy on the bed and then into the ambulance,” he said.

Mr Johnson said some he believes some of the men inside the car were alive immediately after the shooting,

“To be real, two guys were in the car moving,” he said. “One was holding his heart and the next one was still moving his hand. All was trying to tell the officers, at least when the ambulance was here, at least the two fellas who was moving take them out the car - put them in the ambulance.”

“You don’t know if they could survive or die, but the mere fact that they was still moving that means that was still alive at the time. Three ambulances (were) here. Take them outside - put them inside the ambulance as quick as possible.”