When we hear of an armed assault in a Chinese grocery store, it's almost always the storeowner who's the victim. But on Sunday afternoon, 17 year old Jerome Middleton, said that when he visited Honeys Shop on Currasow Street, he was the one assaulted - and it's all because he tried to return some ice.
He said that the shop owner and his wife cursed him. He told police that the owner, 44 year old Wen Hua Chen came from behind the counter, dragged him from in front of the counter and pushed him against the wall, and then pointed and cocked a handgun and threatened to shoot him. Fearing for his life, Middleton forgot about the ice and went home.
But he went to the police who police arrested Chen and charged him with aggravated assault. That's assault with a firearm an offence which can only get Supreme Court bail - meaning a mandatory remand at Hattieville. And that's just where Chen was headed, until he got a break. That came this morning in court, the 17-year-old accompanied by his mother told the Magistrate Dorothy Flowers that he does not want to proceed with charges. His mother explained that she is a Christian and does not want to pursue that type of matter. With that the court had no other choice but to dismiss the charges against Chen.
