By DANA SMITH

and KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporters

ALTHOUGH senior officer Clayton Fernander may have to undergo amputation after he was shot multiple times at “point blank range” Wednesday night, Police Commissioner Ellison Greenslade said “it’s nothing short of a miracle” that a gold medallion hanging around his neck deflected bullets from directly striking his heart.

Speaking last night at a press conference, Mr Greenslade said the police have already arrested a 23-year-old man in connection with the shooting – and have recovered a pistol – but are still on the hunt for one more person — 21-year-old Lynden Bethel, also known as “Excel Josey”.

Superintendent Fernander was shot multiple times in the arm and upper body when two masked, armed men confronted him shortly after he pulled up at his residence in the St Vincent Road area. The Superintendent was armed at the time, but was not able to return fire.

Supt Stephen Dean said Supt Fernander was a lucky man to have survived the incident which could have easily turned fatal.

“Had he not been wearing the gold chain with that medallion on it the bullets quite possibly could have gotten to his heart,” Supt Dean said.

“The shooting sent shock waves through the force. Many of us didn’t sleep last night and the investigations are continuing.”

Mr Greenslade added: “If not for divine providence, God almighty, I’m not certain he would be alive.

“Mr Fernander was wearing some jewellery and a bullet ricocheted off some of that jewellery at the level of his upper left chest. From my police experience – and the officers around us last night – we are truly amazed. It’s nothing short of a miracle. Had he not been wearing that chain with a medallion, this could be a very, very different conversation.”

Having previously described Supt Fernander’s injuries as “life-changing” and having noted his right hand was “pretty brutally mangled,” the commissioner said plans are being made to airlift Supt Fernander to the United States for further medical care.

“I spoke with him just around 3 o’clock this afternoon,” he said. “He’s in high spirits and was able to give me an account as to how he’s feeling – still a bit painful – and is conscious of the fact that he has very serious injuries to his hand.

“We are making plans to have him airlifted to a medical facility in the USA, with the full support of his doctors locally, with a view to providing him the best treatment.

“While there are some options that might not work in his favour – and I speak to the business of amputation, it’s that serious – he’s a relatively young man and we don’t want to go to that option if we don’t have to. So with the greatest deference and respect to his doctors and medical practitioners that have advised him and us, we’re going to give him the best options and just see how this pans out, in the end.”

The commissioner explained: “He’s got lots of injuries to his fingers, the palm of his hand.”

He added “it was clear” from the number of rounds fired that the intention was to kill.

The senior officer sustained substantial injuries to his right arm while trying to shield himself from the hail of bullets. That attack, police believe, intensified after the gunmen realised that Fernander was a police officer. Although armed, Fernander did not have time to defend himself.

After opening fire on Fernander, the two men fled the scene in a westward direction. They got away in a white Honda.