DOWNTOWN KINGSTON was transformed into a war zone last night following the accidental shooting of a 10-year-old student of John Mills Primary School.
Up to press time last night, the victim, identified by the police as Orane Williams, was reported to be in a critical condition with a bullet wound to the head.
Bystanders and some vendors in the West Parade area claimed it was an unjustifiable shooting by the police and burnt debris and blocked several roads.
According to Corporal Troy Anderson of the Constabulary Communication Network (CCN) who arrived early on the scene, a police patrol was in the downtown area when it accosted a man who was wanted by the police. During the process of apprehending the suspect, gunshots were fired and the boy was shot.
"As to who fired the gunshots, we don't know," the sub-officer said.
A man, who said he witnessed what happened, told The Gleaner last night that the police were frisking a man who then ran off. The lawmen then gave chase and fired a shot which missed the target and hit the youngster.
"The little bwoy drop a' me foot and me bawl out and se lawd dem kill de little youth," said the man.
Another report to The Gleaner was that the police chased a man who had escaped from them and boarded a bus. The lawmen then saw another man who resembled the one they were chasing. This second man also ran and the police went after him. During the chase, a shot was fired in the man's direction and Orane was hit.
Reacting to the shooting, irate protesters overturned several metal garbage bins, burnt debris and blocked roads. A joint police/military team led by the Kingston Central Commander, Superintendent George Quell, accompanied by firemen, rushed to the scene to clear roads.
Within minutes of the shooting, the few businesses which were still open pulled down their shutters, commuters fled to safer ground and bus drivers vacated the area. A Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) bus and a police vehicle were damaged.
