Driver, conductors shot at Ottley Hall

Last Thursday, February 23, screams and shouts by neighbours thwarted what appears to have been a coordinated robbery attempt on an unsuspecting van owner and operator of Ottley Hall and his conductors.

And in the confusion that ensued, two men and a teenager were rushed to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH) with gunshot injuries and are still there, warded at the Male Surgical Ward.

Wounded in the robbery attempt, which took place at about 9:30 p.m., in an area of Ottley Hall not known for this type of violence, were van owner and operator Carlos John, 48 and his two conductors, Ishan Adams, 23 and Jahmia DeRoche, 17.

In an interview with SEARCHLIGHT yesterday, John said he came home at around 8:30 p.m. last Thursday and parked his minivan, ‘Aidan’, leaving his conductor and another youngster, who usually cleans his vans, in the yard, with two of his vans.

John said a short while after, he looked and saw the lights in one of his public transport vehicles on, so he knew that it was being cleaned. However, a short while later, when he looked again, he saw that the lights were off in the vehicle and wondered why, as it would be hard to clean the vehicle without the lights. Little did he know that a gunman had struck the cleaner twice in his head and taken him captive inside the minivan.

“I came down to roast a breadfruit in the yard and my blue van (a third van) came down to get wash down and the driver and conductor were talking to me, telling me how the day went, but we didn’t know they already kidnap the youth man and turn off the lights in the other van,” explained John.

“The conductor (De Roche) asked for him (the cleaner), then all of a sudden I see a man come down, black clothes, and mask up with hoodie and he stand up and say nobody move and I thought it was a joke,” explained John.

He said he was about to tell the hooded figure to stop playing around, when he saw the person raise his hand, charge a pistol in one fluent motion and fire a shot into the right side of his face, shattering his jawbone and another shot into his right shoulder.

“After the second bullet, I tried to move, and another bullet hit my cell phone that was in my pocket and went through my right leg, then another bullet hit my left foot,” recalled John, who ran into the downstairs of his home and was later rushed to the MCMH by his wife.

The bullet that struck John on the right side of his face exited on the left side of his chin, while the bullet that hit the front of his shoulder exited at the back of his shoulder. The bullets that struck his right and left legs also exited his body.

He said he was not aware that his conductors were shot, but heard the blue van speed off.

“I run. This happen so fast, by the time I was conscious of what was happening, it was too late,” said John, who added that even though he lives in an area that is known for crime and violence, he never expected this to happen to him.

“Even is a bad area, I never really scared of being rob. I thought was a joke when I see the man and I was going say stop doing that. I still in shock. I never expect this, never think I working there and them would try rob me,” said John, who added that he lives well with everyone and gives a lot of free rides to persons when they don’t have money to pay.

“Sometimes when I pass on the block, the guys would tell me don’t worry about nothing, nobody can’t do me nothing,” said John, adding that he would usually defend Ottley Hall when persons say bad things about the area.

He said that he is scared to go back to his house and he is hoping to sell the property, his vans and move onto to something different with his wife and young son.

“I still in shock. I don’t have no idea who do it. The place was dark, so I have no idea,” said John, who revealed that he has applied for a licence for a firearm on more than one occasion, but was turned down.

He said the gunmen were probably waiting for all the vehicles to come in before robbing him, with the hope of getting the day’s earnings from all three vehicles. He said even if they succeeded, they would not have got much, as the van business is slow these days.

DeRoche, one of the conductors shot in the melée, said that the bullet shattered the bones in his right foot. He has been in the conductor business for three years and said this is the first time that he has experienced anything like this.

“I feel bad I got shoot for nothing. I live over there (Ottley Hall) and I never hear a shooting down that side (next to the playing field). I surprise,” said DeRoche, who noted that he does not know who shot him.

He is of the view that youths in the area are desperate and attacked his boss because he has three vans. “Man watching that, three van park up in the yard,” commented DeRoche.

He said that before he was shot, he heard someone say “freeze” and they were all looking at the gunman, thinking it was a prank.

“When he crank it (charge the gun), I had the purse under my arm, then I see the blue van drive off. If them ask for the purse, them would get it; a simple $240 they would get, and we go and make it back the next day. I get shoot for nothing,” stressed DeRoche, who added that all the robbers made off with was a Blackberry smartphone.

He said he heard his mother, who lives nearby, shouting and other persons screaming and that may have scared what he later learnt were three assailants.

The other conductor, Adams, who received gunshot injuries to his left leg, abdomen and left hand, said that he was in pain and was confused about why he was shot.

The police are asking anyone with information that would assist in the investigation into this incident, to contact the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), the Major Crimes Unit (MCU) or any police station.