Pine shootings could emotionally impact young ones, says psychologist

Old wounds were reopened on Sunday when gunshots rippled across Golden Rock in The Pine, St Michael.  

While adults were among the physically injured, and residents said the incident reminded them of Randy The Nut Man Selman’s murder in 2020, there is a growing concern about the mental health of the children who were traumatised after they had to run for their lives.

Residents said that around 5 p.m. a motorist drove into the densely-populated community and multiple shots were fired across a “pasture” where a play park and sheds are located.

Several children, including a five-year-old boy, were among the individuals who fled or attempted to flee. One of them froze and covered his ears as the shots rang out.

Counselling psychologist Dr Ayodele O. Harper, who raised the alarm, said although the children might not have been injured, they could be scarred emotionally.

“They will need help to process that situation. It had to be terrifying and you don’t have to be physically injured to be affected.

“I would suggest that [parents] keep an eye on them. Hold them and talk to them about the situation . . . because what’s happening on the inside is something totally different and those are the scars that can last the longest,” Harper told the DAILY NATION.

She said although individuals react differently to traumatic situations, there could be several negative side effects to what they witnessed.

“Each child is an individual and we all have a unique way of responding. Some may start clinging to their parents or, depending on the intensity of the trauma, they can get nightmares.

“Some children can regress to a stage that they don’t even want to leave their parents’ home because some of them may relive that. Every time they go out, they may be expecting that something bad will happen because they now associate the park with shooting,” she said.

A mural featuring several victims of gun violence was painted on a wall in the community. The area is also located a few metres from a Barbados Police Service outpost.

The mother and grandmother of the five-year-old were still in disbelief Monday.

“Before the shooting happened, I was told my son was in the park. His attire was unsuitable for outside so I went to get him. But as soon as I swing at the bottom of my gap to get to him is when I heard the shots,” the mother said.

She then saw many people running towards her.

“I did not know what to do. I was frightened. I had to turn around and run. I couldn’t even cry. My hands were trembling,” she recalled.

Although thankful they were reunited, she want justice served.

“He is traumatised because he thinks the people came for him. It is not a good feeling. This is not the first time it happened but we don’t get justice,” she lamented.

The grandmother agreed: “They always come out here and terrorise us and innocent people get shoot but nothing comes out of it.”

Their neighbour, Coreen Selman-Harte, mother of The Nut Man, said many people in the community were impacted.

“When I heard these gunshots, I was traumatised. My sister started to cry because it also brought back memories of when my son was killed.

“I saw this youngster came up the gap and he was bleeding. He was shot in his foot and his two hands. My friend’s son was on the pasture with his two feet shot. Then I heard that somebody else was also injured. This needs to stop,” Selman-Harte said.

She stressed that her son was not a criminal or involved in gang activity but was sitting on their property when the shooting occurred.

Since his death, she has been speaking out against gun violence and serves on the Advisory Council on Citizens Security.

She only recognised that there was at least one bullet on her property – on the mat in the home – when the NATION team arrived for the interview.

Selman-Harte also expressed concern that a lot of the personal information she and other residents gave to police investigators was circulating on social media.

“That should not have happened and I am not pleased about it because that is putting my family at risk. That is putting my life in danger,” she said.

Other residents, who did not want to be identified, shared their views what measures were needed to reduce the level of violence.

One woman called for the block to be dismantled. “They need to push down the block. Why is there a block near a play park? Is it for children or for the men to sit down under and do foolishness?” she asked.

A few young men in the area suggested that would not solve the gun violence issue, but said they were concerned about their safety and that of the children.

Up to press time police had not issued an official report on the incident.

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