Boy shot by stray bullet back in hospital

AKIEL JEFFREY, the eight-year-old boy who was shot by a stray bullet, while ringing in the New Year at his Petit Valley home, was reunited for a short while with his brother and sister yesterday. He was fed a meal of macaroni pie, red beans and a cup of tea. Around 1 pm yesterday, Akiel accompanied by his mother Lystra and a male relative returned to Cameron Road, Petit Valley, after the child was discharged. He was visited by two of his friends from the Petit Valley RC School and played for a short while until he began experiencing severe stomach pains.

Akiel was then rushed to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EWMSC). On Saturday Akiel underwent surgery, which lasted about half an hour. His parents said they were not told what was removed from the left side of his ribs. He spent the night at the EWMSC and was discharged around midday yesterday. Police investigators suspect that the child was struck by a stray bullet fired from a gun belonging to a member of a gang. Police interviewed several persons yesterday as part of the ongoing investigations. Up until late yesterday, Akiel was being treated by a doctor at the EWMSC.