Man recalls september 2018 shooting

Michael Abbott, who was shot in a St Lucy bar, was speaking to youngsters “about the Lord” when masked gunmen walked up to the area and began shooting, a High Court heard Wednesday.

“I was at Nookie Hideout . . . while my back was turned I heard some pinging on the paling. As I turned I saw masked guys coming through the back towards Nookie’s shop. Their face[s] were covered and they were shooting. I think it was five of them,” Abbott said as he gave evidence in a trial against three St Lucy men in the No.3 Supreme Court.

Andre Omar Jackman and Kaeron Sylvian Moore of Stroud Bay along with Shane Hakeem Omar Babb from Crab Hill are before a nine-member jury charged with using an illegal firearm on September 30, 2018, as well as unlawfully and recklessly engaging in conduct that placed Reshawn Greaves and Abbott in danger of death or serious bodily harm.

Moore and Greaves are also accused of damaging a house belonging to Chrisandra Greaves on the same day with intent to damage such property or was reckless as to whether such property would be damaged.

Abbott, who lived in the area of Stroud Bay for about two years before the incident, told the court presided by Justice Carlisle Greaves that the persons who were at the establishment along with him ran on hearing the gunshots. At first, he did not move as he was “stunned” and “a little shocked” at what was happening. But he later ran and took cover behind the shop.  But while stooping, one of the gunmen walked up to him, he said.

He told the court:”There was a guy, masked, with a gun pointing to my head about five feet away. As he pulled the trigger I don’t know what happened there, I don’t know if he missed. He pulled the trigger a second time, I threw my hands in the air and was hit on my left side.”

The witness recalled feeling numb from his waist to his legs “as if 10 000 volts went through me”.

He added: “ I laid there on the ground like I was dead and hope nobody would finish me off . . . people started screaming saying, ‘they shoot Rasta man’.”

Police later arrived and so did an ambulance and Abbott was transported to the hospital for treatment. He spent seven days in hospital and was discharged but returned three days later because he suffered a bowel obstruction and had to be rushed back.

“They cut me back open a second time,” he revealed, adding that the procedure almost killed him.

He was released again but was readmitted for a third time as he was now battling an infection. After he was treated and released, he would spend some six to eight weeks attending an outpatient clinic.

Under questioning by Senior Crown Counsel Neville Watson who is prosecuting the case along with Acting Senior Crown Counsel Rudolph Burnett, the prosecution’s witness described the shooter as being five to six feet tall, very dark in complexion, with his dreads in one and wearing jeans and a green t-shirt.

But under cross-examination by attorney Shadia Simpson, who is representing accused Moore, Abbott said that he couldn’t identify who shot him “at that moment”.

More civilian witnesses are expected to give evidence in the matter when it continues on Thursday at 11 a.m.

Jackman is being represented by lead counsel Michael Lashley QC and his team while Babb has Verla Depeiza as his lawyer.