Spring Village Mass Shooting: Police provide update on those injured

Nine persons were shot, three fatally, when armed men attacked a group of people at a football match on the grounds of the Best Dressed Chicken community playfield.

Since the deadly shooting incident little remains known of those injured.

Following a visit this morning to the affected family members in the community SSP Chris Phillips, commander in charge of the St Catherine South Police Division and head of the Old Harbour Police sub-division DSP Mark Harris informed Old Harbour News that five of the six were released.

The condition of the lone person still hospitalized is said to be stable but require further close monitoring from doctors after being shot four times in the upper body.

One of the victims, who was discharged on Monday, spoke to Old Harbour News on condition that her identity is withheld.

The woman said she is counting her lucky stars after a single bullet flew through her neck, missing her spinal cord by millimeters.

“Mi not going back to no more football match," she said. "The most thing on my mind is to give mi life to the Lord. I was in a terrible accident years ago and then now this. So I think I'm here for a reason so I think it's time now to give my life to God."

The mom-of-three said she lost a lot of blood and were it not for her fiancé who took his shirt off and wrapped it around her neck before rushing her to the hospital, she would not have been alive now.

"The doctors keep telling me I'm so lucky, I'm so lucky," said the mother, face haunted by the traumatic experience.

She was among several persons greeted yesterday morning by a team of high officials led by Minister of National Security Dr Horace Chang; Police Commissioner Major General Antony Anderson; Chairman of the Jamaica Broilers Group Robert Levy; and First Vice President, Hi-Pro Division, Col. Jaimie Ogilvie.

Dr Chang, who is the deputy prime minister, reassured the victims and their relatives that the police will do everything in its power to deliver justice.

"I want to assure you that the police are doing their utmost best to find the criminals involved," said Dr Chang.

Speaking after the security minister, Commissioner Anderson added: "This is very much at the top of my priority list to find who did it and we will bring them to justice. We already have some leads, so we are already working on it. Something like this don't happen and no-one knows. So fortunately there are people who know and give us some information. So it's only a matter of time and it won't be no long time before we catch up with these people."

Many persons broke down in tears once again during the meeting between the officials and the families.

A tearful Robert Levy, whose company has been a beacon in the community for some seven decades, offered prayers for the bereaved families as the community mourns a tragedy now forever engraved in its annals.