A 15-year-old teenage girl yesterday recounted the most horrific experience of her life, after she was the victim of a shooting incident in an over the hill community.

In an exclusive interview with the Journal, the 11th grade student of C.R. Walker Senior High School said while the near death experience is something she will never forget, it also served as a wakeup call to the country’s very serious crime problem.

The shooting incident reportedly occurred around 6:43 p.m. on Wednesday in the Fowler Street area and resulted in the 15-year-old female and an 18-year-old male being injured.

“I was shocked,” the female victim said as she recounted the whole incident.

“I was going to the shop. Before I went to the shop I stopped to talk to my friend. As we were talking, a blue car rode pass and shot me in the left arm and shot him in the hand. So I ran by my cousin’s godfather and I sat there for a while. I tried to get up but I was dizzy,” she said.

The female teenage victim said it was at this point that she thought she was going to pass out.

Tears streaming down her face from the pain and burning sensation in her arm, she recalled her cousins coming to take her home.

Her mother rushed her to hospital where she was treated and later discharged.

“I learned not to walk through tract roads again,” she said.

Meantime the 18-year-old male at last report was said to be detained in stable condition in hospital.

In light of this recent incident, officers from the Urban Renewal Bain Town and Grants Town office wasted no time patrolling the area.

Officer-In-Charge of the Urban Renewal Office on East and Deveaux Streets Inspector Roderick McKenzie said they are attempting to be proactive in the area to limit the number of incidents that happen there.

“Also we’re canvassing the areas for derelict vehicles, abandoned homes and persons who need help so we can listen to hear what their problems are in this area,” he said.

Officers moved quickly to have an old abandoned house through Fowler Street demolished yesterday.

Constable Garland Miller recognised the importance of the walkabouts and said that they would be done on consistent basis.

“What we’re doing, we’re reaching out to the members of the public and we’re letting them know that the Urban Renewal project is back again, what we are doing and also to engage the members of the public to come in to assist us because we can’t do it by ourselves,” Corporal Miller said.

“We need the public at large to assist us to make this programme work. We believe in this programme and certainly we’re doing everything within our means to ensure that this programme is effective.”

Residents were welcoming and receptive to the officers in the area, especially the female teenage victim, who said she felt “a bit safe” as a result of their presence in the area.