Senior Counsel traumatised over firecracker incident

The attorney who did not wish to be named was one of the many persons around the Savannah early Saturday who scampered for safety on hearing the loud explosions caused by firecrackers, and who believed that it was persons shooting indiscriminately.

According to the attorney, she was accustomed to walking around the Savannah on early Saturdays, but on Saturday last, while she was doing so, she heard three explosions. The first one sounded like a blown transformer.

She recalled seeing two women running away from the sound of the explosion and added that although there was fright etched on their faces they still took time to tell her ‘don’t go there, it seems that someone is shooting in that direction.’ According to the attorney she did not recognise the two women who turned out to be former HDC Managing Director Jearlean John and her sister Jacqueline.

She said what stood out to her was that although John and her sister were fleeing from what they thought was someone shooting they still took time to warn her not to go in the direction of the sound of the loud explosions.

The attorney said she then made her way to the Belmont Police Station where she reported the matter to the police who informed her that they were aware of the incident. Yesterday the attorney said that she intends to go to the St Clair Police Station to corroborate the entire incident as claimed by John and her sister.

The attorney also revealed that she actually heard one of the men saying: ‘look them there.’ She pointed out that when the media reported the incident it was then that she learnt of the trauma endured by John and her sister who climbed over walls with barbed wire and suffered cuts and bruises while fleeing from the two persons who they thought were hired gunmen.

The attorney also pointed out that she remains traumatised over the whole incident, especially in these trying times with crime being what it is. She said that she is hoping that police get to the bottom of the whole incident, and seek out the persons responsible for Saturday’s incident, which left many persons traumatised. In that incident John and her sister were walking along the Savannah when, on reaching near Marli Street they saw a black SUV with two men, shouting “Look them, shoot them” followed by loud explosions.

John and her sister thought they were being attacked by gunmen and began running and climbing over walls to reach to safety, and later contacted the St Clair Police.

Camera footage later received by police revealed that the two men in the SUV were responsible for throwing firecrackers and did not appear to be in possession of any firearm.

No spent shells were recovered from the scene but officers found traces of residue from firecrackers. Yesterday police investigating the incident said that the probe is ongoing as the search continues for the two suspects in the black SUV