Gunmen shoot up deejay's vehicle

Entertainer Influential is today counting his blessing after narrowly escaping a shooting incident unharmed.

Although still shaken by the incident, he said that he is lucky to be alive after the car he was travelling in was shot at by unknown assailants.

Showing THE STAR team the bullet-riddled vehicle and smashed side windows, Influential recalled the moments that he thought would have been his last.

"This morning (Tuesday) I left my yard in Liguanea, and I was on my way to August Town to pick up my nephew. While I was on my way going up through Mona, pass the (US) Embassy, I noticed a white Probox trailing me. When me realise say dem a trail me, me decide say me nah bother go pick up my nephew, so me cut through Mona Heights and go around to the primary school and turn back round," he said.

"When me turn back round now, a dat time dem bullet the car. Maybe about eight shots or so, I don't even know. Everything happen so fast, so me really kinda did out of it. When the fright wear off, me head to the August Town police to file a report, and then I was taken to the Mona police."

SEVERAL ATTACKS

The entertainer said investigators at the station took his statement and did the necessary forensics. Checks with the Mona police confirmed his story.

An investigation into the shooting is now under way.

Influential told THE STAR that although this incident is the most serious, he has been the target of several attacks over the last month. He revealed that three weeks before the shooting, his previous car was also damaged. He said the tyres were slashed and the windows busted. That incident, he said, was also reported to the police.

Having suffered a near-death experience, Influential believes the police alone cannot get him the help he needs and has, therefore, sought the media's assistance. He says he wants the decent citizens of Jamaica to understand that he is being targeted and hopes that with more eyes on his situation, the perpetrators would be forced to leave him alone.