‘Gunman change mi life forever!’ - Woman who lost arm haunted by Kingston drive-by attack

As detectives combed the scene of Tuesday night's drive-by shooting on Text Lane in Central Kingston -- which left six people, including two minors and a disabled youth, nursing gunshot wounds -- Betty* stood silently at the corner, trembling with fear and deja vu.

For the 53-year-old mother of four, the sound of gunfire was a chilling reminder of the night her life changed forever -- June 13, 2024.

"Bwoy, a gunman change mi life forever," said Betty, who lost her right arm to gunshots.

"Mi deh outside mi gate on Charles Street a talk to mi sister, and a car just pull up and start fire shot. Mi run, and one bullet fly right cross mi hand and lodge inna mi sister back," she recalled.

Once an independent fisherwoman for more than 30 years, Betty said the shooting robbed her of both her livelihood and her freedom.

"From mi get shot mi nuh go back out to do mi business," she said.

"Nuff time mi deh home stressed out because mi just lose mi independence."

Her greatest struggle, she said, is providing for her disabled son.

"Mi just hold it most time, but I have my disabled son to take care of. This morning (yesterday) is a loaded fries mi buy and we share," the woman added.

For Betty, Tuesday's attack reignited all her fears about the devastating impact marauding gunmen can have on persons lives and livelihood.

"Right now, mi afraid and even more afraid than when mi get shot," she admitted.

"When mi see what happen last night (Tuesday) mi afraid. I couldn't sleep because is the same ting reach mi as an innocent resident. When mi hear the shot dem, mi run outta mi house because mi think mi disabled son outside, but when mi look, him in the yard a suck him finger," she said.

The woman said it pains her that innocent people, including children and another disabled youth, were among the latest victims.

"When mi hear seh a next disabled youth get shot, and other children, it hurt mi heart. Mi sit down and cry because mi feel a way. Innocent people just deh bout dem business and get shot. The children dem and everybody weh get shot never deserve this," she fumed.

Generally regarded as a tough policing division, Central Kingston was for years a hotbed of criminal activities. However, in the past few years, the number of murders in the area has fallen drastically. In 2024, murders fell by roughly 40 per cent, when compared to the corresponding period the previous year. For 2025, the division has recorded a 35 per cent reduction, with 13 murders counted, down from 20 in the corresponding period in 2024.

However, while acknowledging the decline in major crime, Betty believes the violence will persist until the real perpetrators are gone. She wants the security forces to be unrelenting in their quest to crush gangs and gangsters.

"All the police dem fi do is fi kill out di gunman dem, because they are the cause of the problem," she said.

"Crime rate gone down but the killings nah guh stop, so it better dem just dead off. Mi shouldn't inna dis, enuh, because mi nuh have a daughter or son a fire shot, and mi naah talk to no bad man," the frustrated resident added.

* Name changed to protect identity.