Eyewitnesses have described their fear when a masked gunman fired multiple shots on a busy Pembroke street.

Bystanders scattered as the shooter alleged to be 22-year-old Anthony Swan targeted a van where local resident Raymond Troy "Yankee" Rawlins was sitting.

Swan denies a string of charges relating to the incident on Court Street around 10.30 a.m. last December 16 [see separate story].

Brendon Robinson, a bartender on Court Street, told Swan's trial he was jump-starting a van across the street at the time.

"First I heard a loud bang which I thought was a car, but when I looked, I saw somebody standing on the corner there by C & R store," he explained.

"They were dressed all in black and he had a black helmet and a black sun visor. It was pulled down and I couldn't see who it was."

Mr. Robinson said the shooter opened fire towards the north, discharging an estimated seven bullets, while there were between six and 12 people in the vicinity.

"They just ran took off and then Mr. Rawlins got out afterwards, out of the van," he said.

"He ran inside of Swinging Doors bar after the shooting."

Mr. Robinson said the gunman disappeared out of sight around the corner towards Elliott Street.

Asked by prosecutor Carrington Mahoney how he felt when he heard gunshots, the witness replied: "Well, I was shaken up because I'd never seen that before."

He agreed with defence lawyer Marc Daniels that the incident was over in seconds, and he could not tell whether the shooter was male or female, black or white.

Another eyewitness, Elroy Harvey, was sitting outside C & R Discount at the time. The store is owned by Mr. Rawlins' father, Raymond Burgess Sr.

According to Mr. Harvey, Mr. Rawlins was "sitting in his daddy's van" right outside the shop when the shooter came round the corner from Elliott Street.

He was wearing dark clothes, gloves and a face mask.

Mr. Harvey told the jury the gunman asked "where's he to?" twice as he stood by the door of the shop, although he could not tell who he was referring to.

"Then he turned around towards the van and he saw Troy sitting in the van. That's where he pointed the gun. He let off a round at him," he explained.

The witness said Mr. Rawlins moved down in the back of the van and the shooter moved off towards where he'd come from.

"I got out of my chair and ran inside because my ears started ringing from the shot of the gun," he added.

Mr. Harvey described the shooter as having a male voice, and being of "natural" build, "not skinny, not big".

He estimated there were six or seven people in the area at the time, who all ran when they heard the shot.

"That must have been quite frightening?" inquired defence lawyer Mr. Daniels.

"It was," agreed Mr. Harvey.

Swan denies a string of charges, including shooting at Mr. Rawlins with intent to do grievous bodily harm, and the case continues.