JAMAICA Defence Force (JDP) lance corporal Selvin Rose, who admitted to firing his weapon during the 2004 August Town raid in which 45-year-old Sandra Sewell and Gayon Halcott were killed, said he fired his weapon after Halcott aimed a Mack 11 submachine gun at him during Tuesday’s inquest into the fatal shootings at the Coroner’s Court on Duke Street.

Rose was among a joint police/military patrol which was deployed to the area after a deadly gang war broke out between thugs from sections of the community known as Judgment Yard and Jungle 12.

He testified that he attempted to apprehend Halcott but was unsuccessful after the teenager wrestled from his grasp, pulled the submachine gun from his waist and aimed it at him.

“I fired three shots,” Rose told the court.

While Halcott’s demise can be explained, it is still unclear how Sewell was fatally shot. None of the eyewitnesses who, killed Sewell have testified so far have given information on who, or how she was shot. A statement from Neil Wright, a so-called ‘don’ who was shot 15 times and killed in August Town last year, was read into evidence.

On Tuesday, police constable Sydgrell Hamilton testified that he did not fire a M16 rifle which was issued to him the night of the shootings. Hamilton told the court that he and Constable Michael Slolely were the only cops among a group of soldiers who were on patrol in the Jungle 12 area of August Town. He said the detail had divided themselves into two groups and stealthily moved through the August Town Primary School before entering a lane which led to 12 August Town Road.

“We kept a low profile and observed to the best of our vision what was going on in the square. I heard explosions but I did not fire my rifle,” Hamilton told the court.

But Coroner for Kingston and St Andrew, Patrick Murphy, pointed out to Hamilton that ballistic reports suggested that the rifle had been fired.

“I have before me a ballistic report from a ballistics expert which indicates that he received three cartridge cases which were fired from an M16 rifle you were carrying,” Murphy told Hamilton.

But the cop insisted that he did not squeeze the rifle’s trigger.

“I did not fire any rounds,” he said.

The cop said about a minute after the shooting stopped, he crept up to the area and saw Sewell lying on her belly.

“I couldn’t see any injuries but there was blood,” he testified.

He said he saw a Jamaica Defence Force soldier showing off an illegal weapon while Halcott’s body was being put in a vehicle by other police officers who had arrived on the scene.

The cop was cross-examined by attorney Shawn Wilkinson, who is retained by human rights group Jamaicans For Justice, to oversee matters on behalf of Sewell’s and Halcott’s bereaved relatives.

This is the 16th time that the case has been called up before the Coroner’s Court. The case, which has been before the court since October 21, 2005, is expected to close by the end of next week.

The fatal shootings sparked a massive demonstration in August Town with residents describing soldiers as woman killers and called for them to be removed from the community. The residents claimed the security officers dragged Sewell by her hair and threw her bleeding body in a van after the shooting.

The security forces, however, maintained that they were fired on by Halcott who was shot when they returned the fire.