Killing at football match shocks nation
Only last week I sat in this same spot speculating on the causes of what seemed to be an unusually long period of calm, in which the murder rate had plummeted and the level of national violence had subsided to near manageable levels. Obviously I spoke too soon, as this weekend saw two particularly outrageous killings in the old capital; the first occurring at a crowded M.C.C. Grounds in plain view of hundreds of spectators. News 5’s Jacqueline Woods has been looking for answers since this morning.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
The football game on Friday night was the first match played in the best of three finals in the Secondary School Football Competition. However, that game between Gwen Lizarraga High School and St John’s College never did finish. Eight minutes into the second half, a fight broke out between several young men just outside of the playing field behind one of the team’s bench. Gunshots rang out and by the time it was all over twenty-year-old Gregory Batty was dead and Michael Hemmans received bullet wounds to his shoulder and stomach.
Eyewitnesses, who did not wish to appear on camera, say there was first an argument and that during all the hard talk the deceased, twenty year old Gregory Batty, slapped another young man. This man then reached into his pockets, pulled out a gun and shot Batty in his face. But the Batty family claim that Gregory was never involved in any argument, but that he was sitting in the bleachers and was called over to this location, where I am standing, to stop the argument, and it was while making his way over, he was killed.
G. Michael Reid, Police Press Officer
“At this point we are not at liberty to make any suggestions to that effect. I know that the investigation is ongoing and you’re gonna hear all kinds of stuff Jackie. We have heard reports from both sides, from the Batty family and from the suspects’ family, so at this point all of this will have to be decided in a court of law.”
President of the Central Secondary School Sports Association, Deon Sutherland, was standing just twenty feet away from the commotion. Sutherland says the men were arguing for about two minutes when he saw four of them beat up one man.
Deon Sutherland, President, C.S.S.S.A.
“One was actually holding down while the other three were fighting and was doing the beating. And it was when the one guy let go, that’s when the guy that was really taking a beating he drew back and then shots came out.”
Jacqueline Woods
“They had him against the fence?”
Deon Sutherland
“Against the fence, right.”
Jacqueline Woods
“Beating him with what?”
Deon Sutherland
“It was hand, fist and actually there was a bottle used also, a pint bottle.”
Jacqueline Woods
“And it’s after they let him go he pulled out this gun?”
Deon Sutherland
“Yes. When he was released he pulled the gun and started firing.”
Sutherland says as those shots ended another series of shots rang out as two vehicles, which were parked in the same vicinity, started chasing each other through the grounds until they finally sped out of the M.C.C.
Deon Sutherland
“Well after the shooting, the first round of shooting that’s, when the two persons got shot, then as I said, this vehicle pulled in and pulled out and there was a vehicle chase. And there was a second round of shooting with the two vehicles.”
Jacqueline Woods
“The police are saying that presently they are investigating to see whether or not these two vehicles, I think it was a maroon Dodge pickup and a white small car was actually involved in this incident. But to your knowledge, it looked as if they was used as the getaway vehicles?”
Deon Sutherland
“Yes, they were used not only as the getaway vehicles, but as the vehicle to bring the perpetrators to the stadium.”
Authorities would not go into specifics, but say they believe the fight was the result of a misunderstanding over a young woman.
G. Michael Reid
“We understand that there was a girl involved somewhere and it turned into an argument which evolved into the shooting.”
Jacqueline Woods
“Is there and truth that following the shooting at M.C.C. Grounds, the same guys involved went over to the young lady’s house and vandalised some property there? A vehicle I think was involved.”
G. Michael Reid
“We don’t know of any such incident. Again, the investigation is ongoing and at this point I’d hate to saw anything that might jeopardise this investigation.”
Police have two suspects in custody and both men are expected to be charged. Today in a press release, the C.S.S.S.A. stated that the young men involved in the incident are in no way connected with any school or players, but chose that time and place to settle their argument.
Deon Sutherland
“It wasn’t school affiliated. To me, it was more a planned incident. Why I say that, because the principals involved had just arrived at the game, the incident started and then they left. So it wasn’t something that they were there watching the game and from that an argument happened. It was to me, because…and why I say that too, is that the vehicles that pulled up after the incident kinda give you the idea that it was just a get in a get out type of thing.”
The unfortunate thing is that the incident took place at a high school game that was well attended by students, families and children, who could have all been hurt. It is clear that there was just not enough security at the game and it is believed that a stronger police presence would have prevented the incident. The police say they had two officers at the game, but Sutherland claims there was only unarmed policeman on duty.
Deon Sutherland
“I called the police and asked them how many officers were detailed for the game, as I usually do. The report I got was three. I asked if we could have extra because of it being the finals and more crowd, and I was okayed. I also asked for increased patrol, not so much coming to the game, but in the area, which again I was okayed. Unfortunately, I had not bothered to check the grounds to see that the police had come. I guess I took they’re word for it. It was when I was moving away from the incident, going over to the Princess to make the call to the station, then I met with the only police who was at the game. He was at the game just standing up. I can’t blame him; he had no weapon, nothing to defend himself, why go into something like that. And that’s when I realized only one police actually showed up.”
The police say up until Friday night things have been relatively quiet throughout the country, but remain optimistic that the incident is not the start of a larger wave of violence. The C.S.S.S.A. is appealing to parents and school representatives to continue to support the event, and that the association will continue to work along with the police to avoid future incidents. Jacqueline Woods for News 5.
Late this afternoon police charged nineteen-year-old Fransbert Pook and twenty-three year old Mark Gardiner with the murder of Gregory Batty. The pair will be arraigned in Magistrate’s Court Tuesday morning. Meanwhile, the Central Secondary School Sports Association has announced that future games will commence at 3:00 in the afternoon instead of 6:30.
