Woman watched friends shot, one by one

A woman who was pushed to the ground by a gunman on Saturday night said that she crawled away and hid under a car and watched while her friends were shot, one by one.

Oslin Thomas, 46, of Diamond, was one of 10 persons injured on Saturday night around 9, when at least three gunmen opened fire on patrons at the Road Side Bar in Diamond.

Thomas was not shot, but damaged her knee, hurt her back and sustained bruises to her hand, while eight persons whom she knew were shot, with one of them dying. Another person was injured while attempting to run away.

Thomas, speaking to the SEARCHLIGHT at the MCMH on Monday, said she was hanging out at the Road Side Bar, watching some patrons play cards, but decided to move outside.

She said when she reached the doorway, she saw a white Sprinter car without number plates pull up and a man exit the vehicle and start shooting.

“When he reach by the door, he push down me and Michael, and went inside and fire shots,” said Thomas, who added that the first man was joined by a second man and shots began to rain all around the establishment, which was filled with patrons.

She said she tried to get up

from where the man had pushed her down, but she could not move, so

she crawled under a vehicle and

hid.

“I saw Bullo, Woody and Jing and others get injured and Andrew Layne; then I began to run and

shout and tell Miss Soleyn, come, Pecker need help,” recalled

Thomas.

Pecker is Gregory “Woody” Abraham, who died at the ICU on Monday from a gunshot he sustained on the left side of his stomach in the incident on Saturday night.  

“I feel real sad because … everybody that was there is not no violent person and it look so sad and innocent to see somebody go down for thing what them nah know bout,” said Thomas.

She said the man who she thinks was the target managed to jump through a window and escape unhurt.

“I feel really bad,” said Thomas. “We always by the shop.”

Wounded during the shooting were Diamond residents Fitzroy Ash, 59; Kerwin John, 52; Karim

Benjamin, 25; Kaymanie Richards, 39; Andrew Layne, 37; Kenneth Barzie, 30. Michael Richards,18, of Calliaqua was also hit during the melée, while Diamond resident Vanus Thomas, 30, was injured while running away from the scene, but was not shot.

Police have offered an EC$20,000 reward that will be paid if someone is arrested and convicted in relation to the incident.(LC)