Construction workers attacked by masked man

Police said yesterday they had not formulated any theories, as their investigation into the shooting of two construction workers just outside the Buccament Bay Resort on Friday continues.{{more}}

Subcontractor Andrew Nanton, 32, of Lower Questelles, and his employee, supervisor Lassel Hamilton, 51, of Fairhall, were each shot multiple times by “heavily masked” assailant(s), about 200 yards away from the security booth at the resort.

Nanton told SEARCHLIGHT yesterday that he and his employee were returning to the resort when they heard a popping sound.

“… I thought it was the tyre blow out so I stopped to look,” said Nanton, who was driving the minivan in which they were travelling.

He said Hamilton also exited the vehicle and on hearing the popping sound again, they realized it was gunshots.

“… So I tell him to come in the van fast. Then the assailant approached, asked for money and fired about two more shots. One grazed my chest and one caught my hand.

“At that time, my friend already came back in the van. I already had the van in gear, so I drive off. I hear another pop and my whole body paralyse.

“That is the shot that entered there, exit here,” Nanton said of the bullet that entered through his back and exited on the right side of his chest.

“With that, the van just ran off the road because I couldn’t control the steering or anything,” Nanton further said.

He said the gunman asked for money before firing another shot at him and did the same thing to Hamilton before running off.

Meanwhile, Hamilton told SEARCHLIGHT yesterday that on re-entering the minivan, after realising that a gunman was attacking them, he went down between the seat and the dashboard.

“When I look, I saw my toes in blood. I still hearing gunshots by on the other side where he (Nanton) is.”

After the minivan crashed, Hamilton said he saw his boss slumped across the seat, bleeding.

“Well, I give up. I thought he been done dead. Then I crawl, I crawl, I crawl; I gave up, because this foot been done mash up already” — the man who received a gunshot to each of his knees, said of his right leg.

“I see the gunman come around the van and he come at me. He say, ‘Gi’ (give) me the [expletive] money! Gi’ me the [expletive] money!’ I said, ‘Boss, I ain’t ha’ no money. He pointed the gun at my head. Either the gun didn’t have no more bullet or it jammed. He run go straight up the road and that’s it,” Hamilton recounted.

Nanton told SEARCHLIGHT that while he was unable to move after being shot in the back, he was conscious throughout.

Hamilton recounted what happened after Nanton regained motion in his lower body.

“The man washing in blood, I tell you. He said, ‘Lassel, hold faith. I am coming back. I [am] going look for help.’ And he walk go down the security booth,” Hamilton said.

The security personnel took the men to hospital.

Nanton told SEARCHLIGHT he had cheques, since he had stopped paying his employees with cash two months ago.

“I am glad the way it ended, because it could have been severely worse, especially with this and this,” he said of the gunshot to his back that exited on the right side of his chest.

“Because, had this been on this (left) side, the results would have been totally different,” he further said.

(kentonchance@searchlight.vc)