Rapid gunfire over and through the forested hills of Seaview in Carenage yesterday sent residents scampering for their lives.
A heavily armed contingent of police officers and members of the Defence Force responded shortly after 2 pm and up to late yesterday were still combing the area for a group of armed men.
Also present were members of the Special Operations Response Team, Canine Unit and Air Support.
At about 3 pm officers arrested an 18-year-old man at a house after an altercation with officers and soldiers. The man’s uncle claimed that police ran into his house which left him and other relatives confused.
He said, “Them can’t run in we house just so. My nephew never do nothing and they arrest him and gone. Just last night he came home here because he don’t stay in the area.”
Speaking with the Guardian Media while on the scene a senior police officer assured that all “will be flushed out.”
“Once we get reports we will respond and act accordingly. We will flush them out” the senior officer said. The officer confirmed one arrest and also added that they recovered one .38 revolver.
Guardian Media was told by sources that currently there’s a $200,000 bounty on “the head” of someone from the Carenage area, who is believed to have stolen a pirogue.
It is alleged that since the bounty was out, gunmen from other areas were coming into the Seaview Hill area and engaging in shoot-outs that had left houses and cars with bullet holes.
One resident, who wished not to be identified, described the situation as “terrible.”
The resident said, “About over a week ago the rapid gunfire started and is men coming in through tracks and just shooting up the place. We hear bullets falling like rain on our roofs. Gunmen running through our houses. It worsening.”
The resident, however, strongly believed that the situation would not quell as he alleged that there are a few rogue police officers who aligned themselves with gang members.
“Once the police continue to be with these fellas it will always have turf and gang wars,” another resident said.