A 16-year-old girl who was among seven people shot and injured by gunmen in Cudjoe Hill, St Catherine, while a wake for the grandmother of singer Christopher Martin was in full swing, said she felt she was going to die as she watched blood spew from her right foot.

The shooting occurred sometime after 12:00 am on Wednesday while scores of people were singing songs, playing dominos, or trying to collect something to eat. After maiming the people, the gunmen left the area and went on to the main road where they shot and killed one man whose identity the police have not yet revealed. Residents said the man who was shot dead had just left the wake.

The wake had attracted a large turnout of people from the community as well as the outside area, all of who scampered for cover when the barrage of shots rang out, the
Jamaica Observer was told.

“Me and my two cousins got shot,” the 16-year-old victim said.

“We stood up, and we saw a guy in a hoodie walk past a few times, then we saw another guy in a hoodie. The first shot dem fire inna di air and den dem start to let go pure wild shots. I got one in my foot and I fell. When mi realise seh mi get shot, my body felt weak and everything started spinning. I got dizzy. I thought I was going to die. My mom told me to keep my eyes opened. I don’t feel good about the crime situation in Jamaica. I never in my wildest dreams thought I would be a victim of gunshot,” the injured teen said.

Her grandmother, Sylvene Brown-Bailey who is 70-years-old, said although she could not manage to move fast because of her age, she hurried to find a safe haven when the shots were fired at the wake. She said she was “so traumatised”, pointing out that when she first heard the explosions she thought it was firecrackers and was puzzled.

“Afterwards I heard blow, blow, and blow again. I said, ‘That could not be clappers.’ I see the people dem start to run so me run go up to the house. Lord Jesus Christ, I was so frightened! Everybody was running and bouncing up into each other. I am 70, and I had to run because I was so frightened. I started to cry and tremble. My graddaughter and my grandson got shot,” said Brown-Bailey.

“My grandson is still in the hospital. It was in his leg and buttocks he got shot. The shot in his buttocks don’t come out yet and they have to take it out, so he is in the hospital same way. At first I didn’t know that they got shot. It was my daughter I see run come and said my granddaughter got shot in the foot,” said Brown-Bailey.

One man who was on scene told the Observer that he was very upset that the wake of a respectable and well-loved woman would be marked by such a tragedy.

“I am cut up over it because they spoiled Chris Martin’s granny ‘set-up’. Chris Martin granny was a nice woman, a church woman. She wasn’t rowdy. She doesn’t deserve such a send-off. Chris spent his money for others to enjoy the time and make things happy, and they came and spoiled it. Those boys must go down,” said the male resident.

“Things were going on nice. Chris Martin dem a play dominos and people were enjoying themselves; food was sharing and soup a drink. We thought it was somebody giving a gun salute but when we take a stock, it was nothing like that. The whole place tear down. Everybody scatter. Chris Martin couldn’t do anything more than just go inna di yard. Dem mash up di set up. The lady was a Christian, and you come shoot up her set up when she dead? That is a big disrespect,” the resident said, adding that the gunmen “dissed the programme big time”.

Chris Martin took to social media platform Instagram where he wrote: “My heart is heavy this morning as I reflect on the tragic events that occurred at my beloved grandmother’s wake. She was a woman of deep faith and endless sacrifice, someone who taught me the true meaning of love and community.”

He said that it was devastating to see violence cast a shadow over what should have been a moment of peace and remembrance.

“I condemn all forms of violence and extend my deepest sympathies to the families affected by this senseless act. I pray for those involved to come forward and for our community to support the authorities in bringing justice. Jamaica, we must do better. Life is too precious to be consumed by violence. Let’s choose peace,” he said.