A 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL was fighting for her life in hospital after being shot in the head by gunmen who stormed her Claxton Bay home and killed her mother and her mother's boyfriend shortly after midnight on Thursday.
She was one of two children caught in the line of fire yesterday, with the second being a three-year-old girl who was miraculously unharmed when gunmen opened fire on her father while he was driving, killing him on the spot.
In that case, police said that at 11 am, Anderson "Crabby" Ross was driving out of Madras Road, St Helena on Thursday when gunmen ran up and opened fire on his vehicle. The rear windscreen was shattered by bullets and the windows of both front doors were riddled with bullets.
[caption id="attachment_1015548" align="alignnone" width="1024"] DEAD END: Crime scene investigators at the bullet-riddled car belonging to Anderson Ross who was shot to death in Madras Road, St Helena on Thursday. Ross's three-year-old daughter, who was in the backseat, miraculously escaped unharmed. PHOTO BY AYANNA KINSALE -[/caption]
The child was sitting in the back-seat and although more than 20 shots were fired, she was unhurt.
Shortly after, videos of the bullet-riddled car were widely shared on social media, with many commenting on the location of the shooting – a stone's throw away from a popular pizza restaurant.
At the scene, police could not say how many gunmen were involved.
Ross' sister, who asked not to be named, admitted he had been "in and out of stuff with the law." She said she was unsure what his occupation was. "If you live a certain way...mummy grow us up to be God-fearing but her son chose to go a different way. It is what it is," she told reporters.
Family members were comforting the child at the scene and said taking care of her is now their main priority.
Residents said these types of crimes are not common in the area but they are not too shocked given the level of lawlessness and extreme violence in the country.
A copy of the police's profile on Ross was later circulated online.
[caption id="attachment_1015549" align="aligncenter" width="278"] GUNNED DOWN: Anderson Darrel Ross. - Sharlene Rampersad[/caption]
The 17-page document showed Ross was charged 43 times for offences ranging from possession of drugs to kidnapping. Several of those charges were dismissed while the majority was listed as pending.
Ross was described as a "gang co-ordinator" with one major criminal gang.
Police believed he was also affiliated with other gangs and was responsible for co-ordinating several shootings and other serious crimes within Northern and Eastern divisions.
KILLERS STORM HOUSE
In the earlier incident, gunmen stormed the one-bedroom home of Asha George and her boyfriend Devon Drayton shortly after midnight on Thursday.
The couple was shot dead and George's 12-year-old daughter was shot in the head. Up to press time she was warded in a critical condition. A 14-year-old relative managed to escape before the shooting and later alerted police.
The four were asleep
