T&T under-17 football defender Kya Edwards was wounded while attempting to escape after a gunman opened fire just a few metres away from where she stood at Springvale, Couva, yesterday.
Edwards, 15, was at her uncle’s house at Timbu East when a gunman walked up to an adjacent house firing several shots.
His target, a man, who was asleep in a one-bedroom wooden house, was fatally shot in the head.The victim has been identified as Jeremiah Stephens, 23, of Lodge Road, Claxton Bay.
Stephens was at his girlfriend’s house at about 10.30 am when the incident occurred.Police said they believe that Stephens, who was also known as G5, was killed by a man who was “jealous” over his relationship with the woman.
Relatives at the scene said Stephens received death threats a few months ago. An arrest is imminent, police said.
Speaking with the T&T Guardian yesterday, Edwards’ father, Enathus Barthol, 37, said his daughter was standing in her uncle’s yard together with him (her uncle) when they heard gunshots.
“She ran down the hill to escape the bullets and that was when she fell and hurt her right leg. She told me she was getting serious pain from the hip, go down straight to her knee. My brother, who was there had to run and jump over a fence to escape. He could have been shot in the head. They didn’t see any face, just heard the gunshots and run,” Barthol said.Barthol said that while he is thanking God that his daughter and brother are safe, it has left him shaken as he, himself was shot and wounded last year May. He was shot four times and now moving around in a wheelchair.
In that incident, Barthol and four others were liming on the street at Lodge Road when two gunmen opened fire on them. One of the men, Diego Forde, 41, died on the scene. Barthol and three others were shot and wounded.
He said his prayer now is for his daughter to be in good health. “She plays football very well and it is her career and if something terrible happens to her leg football can be history for her and we don’t want that so I am hoping to hear good news.”Up to late last night, Edwards was waiting to have x-rays done to her right leg at the San Fernando General Hospital.Edwards last competed at the U-17 Championships in Haiti. She currently plays football for her school’s club “Cap Off.”