Liguanea shooting victim recovering - INDECOM appeals for witnesses

The woman who was accidentally shot near the entrance to Sovereign Centre on Barbican Road, St Andrew, by an off-duty police corporal yesterday is in full recovery mode following surgery.

"She's totally fine. She's in full recovery [and] is doing well," said Dr Dawdu Banjoko, who transported the victim to the University Hospital of the West Indies.

It is alleged that the policeman opened fire at a man who wiped windscreens but hit the woman, who was driving out of the shopping centre. She then hobbled out of her vehicle, bleeding, and received help from security guards until Dr Banjoko arrived. He said it was not clear how many times she had been shot, but she sustained three wounds - two to the abdomen and one to the leg.

The Gleaner attempted to speak with the alleged shooter, but he refused to answer questions.

The man who wiped windscreens, Christopher Rhoden, who was the alleged target of the gunfire, told The Gleaner his side of the story. Rhoden said that he approached the man's car and attempted to wipe his windscreen but was not allowed to.

According to Rhoden: "Him select up him gun, so mi say, 'Bossy, what dat fah? A wah yuh a go do? Kill mi inna de mawnin ya?' Him say him nah tek no check from no man."

Rhoden said that the driver then parked at a gas station, exited the car, and chased him.

"Run him a run mi dung now, and select the gun, and fire it ... and it (the bullet) end up in a woman right over deh suh - fi nutten at all," Rhoden alleged.

Two male bystanders, who claimed that they witnessed the incident, echoed Rhoden's account to The Gleaner.

The Independent Commission of Investigations has said that it has taken an initial statement from the policeman involved in the shooting and has appealed for witnesses to come forward.