Boy, mother left shaken after Beckwith Street shooting

A mother and her son were left traumatised following a shooting incident in their community on Wednesday that nearly claimed his life and that of another boy.

Michelle Samuels is still reeling in shock and anger from an ordeal she described as callous. She said she has had enough.

At around 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, police responded to reports of gunshots heard near Beckwith Street, on the outskirts of the city.

Investigations revealed that an altercation between two men resulted in a series of gunshots being fired. One of the bullets penetrated a house along the road, injuring a 14-year-old boy who was inside at the time. He was taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital by private vehicle, where he was treated and later discharged.

When reporters visited Samuels on Thursday, the visibly drained mother explained that another boy, who had been sitting just outside the house eating, was also injured when a bullet lightly grazed the back of his neck.

She said her son had finally fallen asleep during the day after spending the night on edge, constantly jumping at the slightest sound. Suffering from high blood pressure, the mother said she had not slept, consumed with worry over how she was going to keep her children safe amid what she described as worsening gun violence.

“This getting out of hand, too, too out of hand. Where you should be safe. You’re not even safe in your own home anymore,” she said.

Responding to suggestions that the children should not have been outside, Samuels said: “My son was sitting down watching TV. The other little boy was sitting down eating. The fella that do the shooting he just come, shooting with no remorse for nobody, nothing. All two of them little boys could have lost their lives yesterday.”

She said her son was hurt in a space where he often spent time: “He was just sitting and watching TV as he does on a regular…. He’s sitting down yesterday, minding his own business watching TV, and a bullet come through the shop, through the barrel, graze my son, come out, graze the other little boy.”

The frustrated mother pleaded swift action on gun violence: “This here going on too regular, too, too regular. If the two of them did lost their lives now, what would be told to us mothers? Sorry? Sorry can’t bring them back. This gun violence going on too long, too regular—every two seconds, gunshots, gunshots, gunshots.”

“These are children. It wasn’t even an hour after the little boy from Lodge get bury yesterday,” referring to the funeral for Shawnathon Chase who was fatally shot while watching netball in Silver Hill, Christ Church two weeks ago.

Samuels said police gave assurances the family would receive counselling after Wednesday’s traumatic incident. 

louriannegraham@barbadostoday.bb