Off duty police officer saves day in Fitz-Hughes

Quick and decisive action by an off duty police officer prevented what some say could have been a bloodbath in the normally tranquil community of Fitz-Hughes early yesterday morning.{{more}}

The incident occurred in the area near to the Fitz-Hughes Government School (FGS), called Tay-Tay Block, around 7:30 a.m. The altercation took place between some youths from Chateaubelair who were passing through the village on their way to Richmond, and some young men from Fitz-Hughes, with whom they had had a previous dispute.

Constable 394 Mc Dowall told SEARCHLIGHT that he was at home, preparing to go to work, when he heard noises and screaming coming from the main road.

Mc Dowall said that he ran to the area, and saw a mob scene with persons armed with stones and cutlasses, so he ran back into the house and grabbed his service pistol. He then proceeded to the scene where he found Kenroy Edwards on the ground bleeding from a chop wound to his head.

The officer said he had to fire several warning shots into the air to disperse the crowd and calm the mob. He then commandeered a vehicle to take the wounded man to the Chateaubelair hospital. On the way there,

he was able to apprehend one of the Chateaubelair youths who was involved in the incident.

Kenroy Edwards was admitted to the hospital and attended by the staff and Dr Francis Murray, who arrived a short while later. Edwards was kept at the hospital, but was later transferred to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH) in Kingstown.(TY)