Man gets heart attack during shoot-out?

The relatives of George Ferguson, a senior citizen of Russia in Savanna-laMar, Westmoreland, who was found dead under his bed, three days after a spate of shootings in the vicinity of his home, are awaiting an autopsy report to confirm the cause of his death. However, many are of the view that he took cover because of the gunfire in the area, and might have had a heart attack.

The residents said that Ferguson, who is believed to be in his 70s, was last seen on Thursday, August 23, while heading to his house, hours before gunshots were heard in the area.

“Yes, there were shots firing, and it is possible that he go under his bed so shot don’t catch him. But none of us can say until the autopsy,” said an elderly community member. “George was not sickly and was in very high spirits when I see him the Thursday evening. Is only when the alarm raise the Saturday, I realise that I don’t see him for couple days.”

POPULAR SENIOR CITIZEN

According to Ferguson’s granddaughter, who refused to give her name, her grandfather was found wrapped up in his sheet, but not in a position to suggest he would have chosen to sleep there.

“When I go there him wrap up in the sheet, but while people saying is heart attack, we just have to wait,” she said.

Sharon, a shopkeeper in the area, said that the popular senior citizen had a particular routine before going to bed.

“Is his style that fi when him bathe and a go a him bed, him wrap up. And him always sit on the veranda for a while, then go sleep. But is like the gunshot them make him take cover because all now him bed nuh pull up,” she said.

“Is just somebody maybe feels nice and shooting in the air,” she added.

However, the residents are refuting claims that the shooting was between feuding gangs.

“There is no gang war in Russia, absolutely none,” said Scatta, an influential member of the sometimes troubled community. “Shots were fired in the area, but I suspect maybe in the bushes, but nowhere near his house. People just want opportunity to be better, even George at his age was a working man to sustain himself.”

The police have confirmed the incident, but say they are awaiting the autopsy.