Three young men, including a ten year old boy, are lucky to be alive tonight after a trigger happy teenager emptied out a clip from his nine millimeter pistol on a crowded street shortly after last night. The scene of the shooting spree was the corner of Rivero Street and Kraal Road - a normally quiet block but last night it almost became a murder scene. The victims are 21-year-old Sigmund Trapp, 19-year-old Akeem Welch, and 10-year-old Ashton Welch. All are in the KHMH tonight with varying degrees of injuries. Keith Swift has the story.
Keith Swift Reporting,
I am standing at the corner of Kraal Road and Rivero Street. Eyewitnesses say it is at this corner last night that a gunman dressed in black came up armed with a fully loaded nine millimeter handgun. He indiscriminately, and apparently with no provocation pulled out his handgun and opened fire. 21-year-old Sigmund "Herschel " Trapp was standing at the corner, which is near his house, when he saw the gunman approaching.
Sigmund "Herschel " Trapp, Shooting Victim
"When I looked I saw a young man pulled from through Rivero Street on the rocky side and I only heard one shot first and after that I heard a hail of bullet and when I was running I noticed I got hit in my back piece."
Keith Swift,
Did you see this coming? Did you know he had a gun?
Sigmund "Herschel " Trapp,
"I saw him when he came around the curve. I was the first one who saw him. when I was standing there I told those boys to try and move from off the lane and then as we ran I know I got shot and the next two young men got shot."
Herschel Trapp was shot in his right upper back and the bullet exited his shoulder. He also received a graze to his left side. Herschel was standing at the corner with his friend and neighbor on Rivero Street 19 year old Akeem Welch and Akeem's
10-year-old brother Ashton Welch. Because of his age - we've chosen not to show Ashton's face.
And though they tried to run - one of the bullets hit Akeem in his chest and another hit Ashton in his right leg. Their mom Merilyn Welch was inside her home when she heard the gunshots.
Merilyn Welch, Mother of Shooting Victims
"I heard some gunshots last night. I know my sons were by the lane and I ran out to see where my sons were and my daughter hollered for her brother too. I ran towards where the gunshots were happening but I didn't see my son. But it looked like my son was already shot and he ran into a yard near to the lane. When I reached close to the open lot my son came out and said he got shot. Before I ran out, the shooter was still shooting because I could see the person. I couldn't see his face from the distance he was but the person was still firing shots. I saw one young man dressed in black."
Merilyn Welch says what really brought her to tears was when she realized her ten year old son had been just shot just footsteps from his home.
Merilyn Welch,
"After I heard that my big son was shot, the small one told me that he got shot in his legs. So all I could say is that people are shooting and want to catch people but they are catching innocent people."
Innocent people because Merilyn Welch says her sons - especially 10-year-old Ashton - were collateral damage in someone else's war.
Merilyn Welch,
"My sons were innocent. They almost took my son's life."
Keith Swift,
And it must be harder because this happened so close to home.
Merilyn Welch,
"Its hard because its nearly in front of you that your son would have died for nothing."
And though speculation is that the gunman was seeking revenge over a stolen bike, the surviving victim who is talking says that's news to him.
Keith Swift,
Any reason why this young man would come after you? Did you have any beef, any quarrel?
Sigmund "Herschel " Trapp,
"I don't know why this young man came after us because every night we stand up at that lane and that is the first time he came and ever did that."
And until they do know why he did that, hanging out at the corner on Rivero Street may never be the same for these residents.
All three are still hospitalized. Akeem Welch was seriously hurt and he underwent three hours of surgery last night to save his kidney.
A 14 year old has been charged for the shooting. Because of his age, we cannot release his name. But he has been charged with three counts of attempted murder, 3 counts of use of deadly means of harm, 3 dangerous harm and one aggravated assault for a releated shooting on Sunday night.
Police recovered 15 expended 9 millimeter shells from the scene. Later in the newscast we'll hear from the father of one of the victims and an outspoken community activist who says that Rivero Street won't be held hostage by this type of street crime.
