Gunshot victim Cleophus Lyttle is calling on the relevant authorities to impose stiffer penalties on persons charged with gun crimes and robbery.{{more}}

Lyttle, a sailor, sustained gunshot wounds to both hands after a masked man approached his car and opened fire on Friday, January 28, at about 7pm.

From his bed at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH), a heavily bandaged Lyttle spoke of his ordeal.

Stating that he is still baffled about his misfortune, Lyttle said he had parked his vehicle in the vicinity of P.H. Veira hardware store because it was close to where his wife works.

The 38-year-old said after leaving his wife’s workplace, he journeyed back to his vehicle. While there, Lyttle said the heavy traffic made it hard for him to get on to the main road. As soon as he joined the long queue of vehicles, Lyttle said he heard a noise on his side of the vehicle.

“I saw someone with something wrapped around their face like a cloth and he pointed a gun at me,” Lyttle said.

Obviously still rattled by the ordeal, Lyttle said he held up both hands and shouted, “What!” when the shot was fired.

The bullet pierced the back of Lyttle’s right thumb, and on exiting, hit his left hand and was lodged there.

He said he honked his horn, but none of the vehicles ahead of him moved. It was not until Lyttle turned on his hazard lights that he was able to maneuver through the thick traffic and drive himself to the hospital.

Lyttle was expected to undergo surgery on Tuesday to remove the bullet fragment.

“I can’t understand how my once peaceful St Vincent has reached to this stage. It was only 7pm and the traffic was heavy. I was not in any dark place or corner and you telling me this kind of thing happening?” Lyttle rhetorically asked.

He added that harsher punishments should be meted out to these criminals and said that the police need to do more in combating this problem.

Up to press time, no one had been charged in connection with the matter. (KW)