Masked gunmen opened fire indiscriminately in a weekend shooting spree in the inner-city community of New Orleans, grazing at least one resident as she scampered for safety over a two-day reign of terror.
A Barbados TODAY team found residents reflecting on the gun attack, tell-tale bullet holes, a slow police response, and their lucky escape from death or serious injury.
Tony Rock, who said he had grown up in the area, said that upon seeing the masked bandits appear, he broke for cover despite suffering a recent stroke.
“When I first heard the gunshots, I look around because I thought that it was something that was hollering. But then when I looked around I saw men in ski masks and then I decide I got to run now,” he said.
Rock pleaded for the perpetrators to stand down, saying that many lives were at stake during the wild shooting in the community.
“I would just like them to watch out for the innocent people because there are a lot of people that live in the community and there are a lot of innocent bystanders that were hurt. I would just like them to hold it down,” he told Barbados TODAY.
A bystander who identified herself as ‘Susie Joseph’ who was grazed by a stray bullet, said that upon hearing the gunshots she ran and did not look back.
“ I was outside. [I] heard the gun shots. [I] run and [didn’t] look back,” she said, adding that she did not believe she was targeted as she does not interfere with anyone in the community.
“Run and get out the place. I ain’t know I do anybody nothing. Targeting bear women that can’t do anything],” she said of her mostly female household.
The woman who was visibly distraught said she would like to tell the masked shooters to be mindful of the area’s children.
“I would like them to know they got children in the area and old people,” she said.
After realizing a passing bullet had struck her right arm, she then sought medical attention at the Black Rock Polyclinic and was treated with a tetanus shot.
She also told Barbados TODAY that she was thankful for life and prayed regularly, regardless of where she was.
“I thankful for life. I like to pray. I could be on a bus I pray on the bus. Don’t care what I doing I does pray because there is someone over us,” she said.
Another resident who did not want to be identified said that she ran and dropped her cellular phone when she heard the bullets flying through her home.
“[I] drop the phone and run into the bathroom,” she said.
Another resident who declined to disclose her name out of fear for her life bluntly said that she was so frightened she almost defecated.
“I did frighten . . . . I did wanna [defecate]; it did sound like explosions,” she said.
She told Barbados TODAY that she would like the perpetrators to know that residents do not want to be afraid when in their own community.
“It is a community; you can’t make people frighten so in the community. It is the part you supposed to feel safe, not frightened. I never hear so much shots yet, I did really want to [defecate],” she said.
Edwin Rollock, a retired public safety officer in the United States, who recently returned to Barbados to enjoy his retirement said that had the shooting occurred in the US, the entire street would have been locked down and the bandits caught.
“I just retired in New York as a public safety officer for 33 years and six months, so I am aware of what is going on.”
Rollock’s criticism was levelled at the police response. “In New York no one can take over the street for five minutes without police response. When shots fire the helicopters are in the air,” he said.
He suggested that in a police lockdown “those shooters would not be able to escape. They were shooting more than 20 minutes and I can’t really count the rounds but it was really out of whack”.
It was Rollock’s 20-year-old sedan, that was in the line of fire. The vehicle was removed by police officers as evidence.
“I have a 1998 Nissan Maxima that I just brought home from New York as a returning national. I feel violated at this point; I ain’t mad but who am I going to get mad at? So, what happened is I have third-party [insurance coverage] so I would have to fix my car my myself. I got four shots in the back windshield. I think they got two at the front. I got another shot in my right rear light and my front tyre was blown out,” he said.
About 5 years ago in this same community masked gunmen fired shots at the police and the police fired back in fear for their life and all the residents was against the police saying to barbados news that the police was out of place and that children and elderly folk live in the community. Well tell that to the same gunners now. Talking about slow police response the police shouldn’t have come at all and let wanna deal with it wanna self.
So this what Barbados come too.unbelievable.it can’t be bisness as Usual.we got to stop burying our heads in the Sand.i like the Philippines president he would be the right guy to deal with this madness.central police short there district A ain to far black rock station around the corner just as close and no one Ain get hold.what kind of policing is that.some thing ain right about this article.something missing.Got to hear the police side of the story cause something ain adding up.
@MATTHEW G see the head line on Jamaica TOO LITTLE TOO late,well our Attorney General is awaiting to read the same in Barbados.Like the PM of Jamaica stringent measures should have been imposed from the time the country began to experience the amount of gun play occurring across Barbados.However the self righteous people would now say you shouldn’t compare the two but as I see it we need the presence of the BOYS IN GREEN to beef up security along side the over stretched police force who is short of manpower.Maybe if the AG and Co families start smelling and seeing fire something might be done.@THE GAUARDIAN boy you come home for a quiet retirement and is physically impacted by this violent hooliganism,and you know what someone might ask what you making a fuss for because of your stint in US not acknowledging the fact that when incidents as these occur residents can be assured of response,arrest,trial and a severe penalty unlike here.Just try and stay safe with your family but if it begins to play on your health and well being no point in suffering if there are options for you.If only we could run away!!!!Oooooh
People in the said communities know who these clowns are, but nothing is going to be said, because lots of people way of life and standard of living ,depend on the same people with the guns……….
That’s why the police would always be the fall guys going into these ghetto minded areas…………………………..
Why cant our law enforcement in Barbados , consult and engage
with (MrRollock) his experience should be of benefit to Barbados, these are the people we need in Barbados………….
CORRECTION,,,,, Where I’ve insighted THE GUARDIAN it should have read EDWIN ROLLOCK.
Police drones. Drones and regular police raids are needed. Led by the Task Force, involve the BDF…we have the resources. Offer residents a comprehensive, but anonymous way to leave tips. Give a reasonable reward on useful information. Everyone has a food to eat!
@CASPER all the agencies you mentioned must be deployed sooner rather than later or else it will be as I quoted from the head line of a Jamaican news paper TOO LITTLE TOO LATE!!! In a situation as this the police shouldn’t have to be prize open lips by offering rewards because this is like the general public being on death row without any human rights,so there is crime stoppers anonymity already use it as it ought to be used or else you could be next for the chop and I don’t mean pork chop either.Don’t even tell your mother once you do the right thing because people mout like a freezer once ya plug it out it gine defrost and ya in trouble.
Attorney General Dale Marshall should now be criticizing himself for the crime rate. He always had severely harsh words for Adriel Brathwaite when he held that office. Tables turned now.
When de police go fuh de bad men ,de same people in these neighborhood does cuss and seh de police bad, well 2 wrongs don’t make a right ,sorry for de innocent, but de police right to don’t go and put duh selves in nuh danger, even though it is duh job, cause if duh miss and shoot down one of de arm bandits ,u will hear dah he is some body son, and duh didn’t had to kill like dah and rah rah rah .Sorry fuh duh de broken English, buh I had to put it out here in raw bajan. Wunna is a bunch of confused people ,don’t know what wunna want .Cuss me.
New Orleans was a decent community when it was an all white area many moons ago. The blacks move it and the area goes to s**t.
Can’t wait for the Chinese to take over Barbados so that they can begin with eradication of the low class black illiterate bajans so that Barbados can BECOME GREAT AGAIN and become THE GEM of THE CARIBBEAN once again.
Slow police response boy dese ppl does mek mi laff
I was born in New Orleans and have returned home several times to see the mass deterioration in the area particularly the boundaries of Chapman’s Lane. My relatives have reported hearing gun shots on Murphy’s land. They are terrified. Portions of land has been surrendered to squatters who build and converge on other people’s property with regularity.
I pray daily for safety and protection of my many senior family, friends and neighbours. Mass bandit and gun shots is just a new LOW.
In this modern age, police protection needs to intensify using new technology and any mean necessary to help restore peace and harmony in this land I once called home.
Roland
There was a big outcry when attempts were made to increase police powers by amending the Police Act in 2017 to allow these areas to be locked down when incidents such as this occur. Bajans need to decide if they prefer police with guns or a society that falls to lawlessness.
Unfortunately this sort of behaviour is a frequent occurrence in some our regional countries.
One wonders if the cons of ‘freedom of movement’ will outweigh the pros eventually!
OSSIE MOORE
Can’t wait for the Chinese to take over Barbados so that they can begin with eradication of the low class black illiterate bajans ….
…………………………………………………………………….
Do you really think that the Chinese have any respect for any other class of black people?
Did one of them not recently burst the arse of a serving government minister in Uganda?
The Chinese do not discriminate…black is black regardless of what shade it comes in.
Wait. I thought the DLP was responsible for all the crime in Barbados. There is no DLP now. Patrick, Winnie, Peter, Olutuya, Sanka, Wesley, David any one ah wunna please explain. Yuh know i slow. I love it.
@BISCUITS,boy you is a boss iffa was near ya a wood shake ya han an pitch up one wid ya.SPOT ON ya no how long dem did wanna get them hands on Barbados ta mash um up.One island in particular has always been the green eye monster and as the old folks told us open confession is good for the soul only last week with my two ears I heard a citizen of that nation on radio hoping that things in Barbados would get better because it has always been envied by the natives of that island for being number one in the carribean.My friend and I have spoken about this free movement for many a day because we could see more pain than gain,Barbados can fit in a gill pot,unemployment gone through the roof,the country can’t feed itself,most places of national importance run down,transport run down,sewage and garbage system run down now pray tell me what professional persons are you going to attract when you can’t pay a competitive salary.With that said people from all carribean countries wishing to exercise their right to free movement should have to satisfy certain criterias( No 1)A record of all criminal convictions minor to major(No 2)Declaration of funds to support length of stay(No 3) If looking for employment they must have interviews already set up or if same was conducted via electronic technology before leaving country of origin a valid document to be submitted to ministry of labour within 24 hrs of arrival.(No4) place of abode with terms and conditions (No5) police,school and employment references@ROLAND WALKES we must all continue to prayer for all because shootings and stabbing now seems to be the new employment,I totally agree that any means should be used to get rid of the scourge that’s plaguing out island.
The headline should read ” Terror in Black Orleans “
What about the lack of parenting, can’t this be the weaves, nails, eyelashes era showing up the interest of mothers and the absence of father?
If these children were raised to respect people, this would not happen
Parents are failing the society, there is no discipline in the parents so there can’t be in the children
Teachers can’t even talk to these children at school, so what do we expect