Craigy T grateful son unharmed by gun salute

Entertainer Craigy T is giving thanks that a stray bullet he believes was discharged during an illegal gun salute on New Year's Eve, did not injure his son.

"The family was outside on the lawns watching the fireworks going off on the hill and my wife heard something, came outside and asked if we alright, because she heard something and she wondering if is clappers or something come into the house and that we should be careful," he told THE WEEKEND STAR. The following morning, Craigy T said he noticed dust over his son's computer desk in his room.

"It was unusual and when I saw the bullet hole and I said it to her, we then searched for the bullet and recovered it under the desk, intact. So you know it was a full warhead," he said.

The entertainer said the discovery brought home the reality that, had his son been home, his family could have been facing tragedy.

"Yuh nuh haffi be in the 'wrong place at the wrong time', you could be where you're supposed to be and die from a gunshot wound," he said. "My son, luckily, was at his mother's house that night. Had he been with me, he would have been at his desk playing video games, because that is where he is every night. When I told his mother, she cried."

After failing to get the police when he called, Craigy T, who still has the bullet, said he will be going to the station in person to file a report.

"I have to push it because, at the end of the day, if people nuh push this thing, it nah go change. The reason why I even decided to talk about it is because I realise that the people who participate in these gun salutes really don't recognise say the bullet dem come down innu," he said.

When contacted by THE WEEKEND STAR to comment on the illegal practice of gun salutes, CEO of the Firearm Licensing Authority (FLA) Shane Dalling reminded licensed firearm holders that illegal gun salutes are criminal offences with serious consequences. He said that although the activity also involves illegal guns, the FLA has revoked licences because of it.

"What we need to prevent the act from happening is enforcement of said consequences. It will take the joint effort from ourselves and the police to curb the practice," he said. "The dealers have to account for the ammunition that they sell to holders, and the holders have to account for the ammunition when they come in to renew their licence. If they fail to do the latter, it will warrant a revocation of the licence."