Teen shot after grabbing soldier’s gun

A Corporate Area man who allegedly held on to the rifle of a soldier was shot in the hand and hip. The incident took place in Waterhouse, St Andrew, while the soldiers were on patrol in the area.

The injured man, Kywin Townsend, has since been charged with assault with intent to commit a felony.

Townsend, 18, appeared in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on Thursday, but the matter was adjourned until June 6 to have the complainant present in court. The accused man, who is on bail in the sum of $40,000, is represented by attorney-at-law Evan Evans.

The allegations are that on March 13, about 1:50 a.m., members of the Jamaica Defence Force were on patrol in sections of Waterhouse, responding to reports of loud noise in the community. The lawmen indicated that upon their arrival at the community centre, they noticed a party was in session. Two members of the team noticed Townsend exiting the venue behaving boisterously and was walking toward them.

One of the soldiers, the complainant in the matter, issued several verbal commands to Townsend to stop but it was reported that the accused man ignored the commands and was pulled away from the soldiers by another man.

Some moments after, Townsend returned to the spot where the soldiers were and continued to behave disorderly. It is alleged that Townsend then held on to the muzzle of the complainant's firearm and was instructed to let go but he refused to comply with the soldier's commands.

The complainant discharged one round of ammunition, which hit Townsend in his left hand and left hip. He was later transported to the Kingston Public Hospital where he was treated and released. - T.T.