Attempted murder accused says he was target of Diamond mass shooting

A man has identified himself as the target of the Oct. 14 barrage of gunfire in Diamond that resulted in the death of one man and left seven other nursing gunshot injuries.

The man, Ricardo “Shrek” McFee, made the revelation at the Serious Offences Court on Monday, where he was charged with the Oct. 15 attempted murder of Jawansa “Sanga” Fraser.

Fraser survived being shot six times in his home community, Paul’s Avenue, Kingstown, sometime between 11 a.m. and noon on the day in question.

He was rushed to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, where he was warded for four days.

McFee, along with Glen resident, Colin “Cocoa” David, originally of Long Wall, and Rockies resident Jomarno “Small Man” Tash, has been charged with attempted murder in connection with the shooting of Fraser.

They were also charged that on Oct. 15, at Paul’s Avenue, they used a firearm with intent to commit the offence of murder on Fraser.

The men were further charged that on the same date, at Paul’s Avenue, with intent to commit the offence of murder on Fraser, they each did an act which was more than merely preparatory to the commission of the offence.

At his arraignment on Monday, McFee, who was not represented by a lawyer, told Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne-Matthias that the gunmen who opened fire at the shop in Diamond on Oct. 14 had come to kill him.

“I told the police all whom I saw and none was arrested. Some drug dealer get shot and I am arrested,” he told the court in his bail application.

McFee appeared in court along with David, four days after Tash was arraigned and granted EC$30,000 bail on the same charges.

“I don’t even know this guy in the free world and I am standing [accused] next to him,” McFee said of David.

“When they say one-sided, I don’t know what side it on,” he said in reference to the law.

The accused man was echoing comments by David’s lawyer, Grant Connell, that if his client is denied bail, it would be a lopsided decision.

“I am asking for bail, please,” McFee said.

But the magistrate denied the men bail, although she had four days earlier granted Tash bail on the same charges.

She told the court that she could not discount what is happening in St. Vincent and the Grenadines at the moment and the nature of the offences with which the men are charged.

Browne-Matthias said she would revisit the issue of bail on Nov. 3, 2017.

“Isn’t there someone already on bail for this same offence?” McFee then asked the magistrate.

Browne-Matthias responded, telling the accused man that investigations are ongoing and that she was not considering bail at that time.

“Like the law is for some and the law is not for some,” David remarked to the bench.

“You want to say that? Or you don’t want any bail at all?” the magistrate remarked

Senior Prosecutor, Adolphus Delplesche had earlier objected to the men’s bail, citing the nature of the offences and the climate in SVG as it relates to firearm offences.

On Oct. 14, around 9 p.m., some four gunmen opened fire at Road Side Bar in Diamond, where patrons had gathered for their usual Saturday evening lime.

Eyewitnesses say that the assailants exited a vehicle and shot a patron outside who had shouted “Gunman!” on seeing the assailants.

Reports are that immediately after the first gunshot, McFee jumped out of one of the windows of the shop, landing some 15 feet below, before fleeing the scene.

Witnesses say the assailants were wearing “V for Vendetta” masks during the attack.

Police say they recovered some 40 spent shells at the scene.

After his arraignment, McFee fretted in court, saying that someone who he said was responsible for more than 200 murders in SVG was being protected.