Mother plans to quit her job after son shot and injured

PAULINE SMIKLE, the mother of Gregory Llewellyn, the 26-yearold who has been living with Down’s syndrome, is battling with the decision to quit her job to stay with her son after he was shot on Monday evening in Arnett Gardens.

The 63-year-old told The Gleaner that she would rather be staying home with her son as he is unable to explain himself in dangerous situations. However, based on her son’s needs, but functioning at the capacity of a child, she is conflicted.

“Him deh here the other day and mi always tell him fi lock di gate, and the police dem come and push till the board, all bruk it off, waa see a who and who down there, and this come happen again,” she said, mindful of the context in which they live, lamenting that she does not want to leave him unprotected.

Smikle said she was at work when she got the news.

Llewellyn received a shot to his hip. Smikle said the doctors have informed her that Llewellyn may have to be fitted with a colostomy bag, depending on the outcome of the surgery he underwent on Tuesday. It is possible that he may need it permanently.

The police report says Llewellyn was among three persons who were standing along Ninth Street, who got shot around 5:50 Monday evening. Courtney Getten, 50-year-old, and Beatrice Fyffe, 58-year-old, were both shot in their left legs.

“The shot run through her foot and come lodge inna my own,” one of the persons who got shot told The Gleaner on Tuesday in a phone interview. He said around four shots were fired in their direction, and noted that the police arrived swiftly on the scene.

Superintendent Michael Phipps, who is in charge of the West Kingston Police Division, said a car that was parked along the road was also damaged.

“In that particular shooting, we have identified two suspects known as ‘Babatundeh’ and ‘Que’. They are being sought, in particular to the incident,” he said.

“We believe it was a continuation of a gang feud which has emerged between the Angola and Zimbabwe gangs in the Arnett Gardens area,” he said.