The National Inter-schools’ Futsal competition at the National Gymnasium took a bloody turn late yesterday and three youngsters were stabbed, one over a dozen times, as a gang chased him and his friends.
Cutlasses and ice-picks were used in the altercation and the police had to be called. When contacted last night, organiser Brian Clarke said that while he was aware of an incident, he was not aware that anyone had been stabbed. The attackers were not caught.
According to reports, Ryan Samazon was stabbed 15 times and chopped about eight times about his body. He was treated at the Woodlands Hospital and received stitches but the wounds were apparently not very deep and he was sent home.
Up to press time last night, another of the wounded, Lloyd Hazel, 16, was awaiting an x-ray at the Georgetown Public Hospital. He sustained a wound to the left side of his abdomen, another to his buttocks and chop wounds to his fingers, his brother Rawle Robinson told Stabroek News. A 10-year-old boy was also stabbed at his left side chest and was treated and sent home.
The incident occurred sometime around 6pm. While details on what led to the stabbings were sketchy, Robinson said that from what he understood, the 10-year-old boy was involved in an altercation with another boy. He said that Lloyd, who was friends with the 10-year-old, was attempting to make peace, when friends of the other boy began their attack.
Lloyd is a student of the Tutorial High School while the attackers were reportedly from the Dolphin Secondary and St. Mary’s High School. Some were dressed in civilian clothes.
They reportedly faced-off outside the gymnasium. Another of Lloyd’s brothers was forced to run away when the attackers turned on him. The police had to be called to quell the disturbance.
Meantime, Clarke said that he was not at the gymnasium when the incident occurred. He said that he was at the East La Penitence police station requesting security. The competition started yesterday and he acknowledged that no security was present. “I never expect such things would have occurred there,” he said, pointing out that it was a competition for schoolchildren and did not involve adults.
He said that a letter had been dispatched but apparently did not reach the divisional commander. He said that they will not be taking any more chances and security will be provided for the rest of the competition. The perpetrators will be caught and dealt with, he said.
“Right now I frighten. I frighten what happen to my son,” said a worried Karen Morris, the mother of Lloyd, at the hospital last night. It was feared that one of the wounds may have reached to his spine as he was complaining of losing feeling in his legs.
