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Joe*, one of the six persons who were shot and injured by gunmen on Race Course Lane in Denham Town on Sunday night, said he is counting his blessings and is grateful to be alive. Speaking with THE STAR from his home yesterday, the 65-year-old dancer said he was entertaining his fans outside of a bar when he was shot.

"Mi deh deh a move and a spin and a do mi ting and mi hear 'bow bow bow' and mi a say a what a gwan inna di place. Mi guh suh boom and draw in myself with some a di yute dem," he said.

"Mi go pon di concrete pon mi bottom and a so mi get way. When mi look pon mi hand mi see di blood a run down and piece a it chip off and mi go up to di soldier dem and dem carry mi go hospital."

The incident occurred just steps away from the zone of special operations headquarters in the community. Reports from the Denham Town police are that about 8:45 p.m., patrons at an illegal party were pounced upon by two men travelling on a motorcycle. The assailants opened fire, hitting the six men.

Shooter tricked patrons

The police were alerted and the injured taken to hospital, where four were treated and released and two admitted. According to an eyewitness, the shooter tricked patrons by standing among the gathering before making his move.

"The bike pass and come back and di yute come back and just stand up like him a listen music too, then him just go inna him waist fi di gun and start fire. Him brave that's all I know or him really foolish to come right beside the solider base come fire. Mi just thank God say him wasn't a sharp shooter and kill off everybody," the person said.

Another eyewitness said the shooting sent more than a dozen persons cramming into a small restroom.

"Yuh see how the space small in the bathroom? Well last night (Sunday) it hold about one million people when the shot dem a beat. All on the toilet tank top people stand up. Whole heap a people go in panic mode and freeze," she said.

However, the bar owner told THE STAR that she was not hosting an illegal party.

"The bar did just open and people a buy dem liquor and a have a drink. Most of them never in the bar but was on the street. Nobody wasn't expecting this at all. All mi door dem shot out. Is this morning (yesterday) mi have to buy back the glass for $10,000," she said. No motive has been established for the shooting.

*Name changed to protect identity