BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – TWO young men were last night (May 23) killed and one hospitalised following a shooting incident in Lodge Housing Project.
Dead are 17-year-old Ikimba Bradley of Keys Village and Ken White (18) of Lodge Housing Project, while Clairmont Bowrin, also of Lodge Housing Project, was shot in the leg.
On arrival at the scene, this media house learnt that while some young men were within a house, rented by one of them, an undisclosed number of gunmen kicked down the door and started shooting at them.
Bradley was shot multiple times to the body, including the head, and died in the bathroom; while White, who was also shot multiple times, was transported to the JNF General Hospital where he died shortly after arrival.
Bowrin was also transported to the hospital where he was treated for his injury and is currently warded.
Bradley was pronounced dead by District Medical Officer Dr. Udo, who was summoned to scene, and his body was removed by Jenkins Funeral Home under police escort.
According to one resident, at about 7:30 p.m. while in her home, she heard “two small explosions that sounded similar to the bombs that the youths set off during Guy Fawkes Night”.
“A couple of seconds after, I heard the sound of five more and I was convinced that they had to be gunshots. However, I waited in my home until I heard many voices in the area from where I believed the shots were fired before venturing outside.
“When I got to the house where Ken lives, I saw a large crowd in the yard and also on the road. Ken was lying in the doorway and someone said he was gasping for breath. He was transported to the hospital in a private vehicle and I later learnt that he succumbed to his injuries,” the resident said.
Assistant Commissioner of Police with responsibility for Crime, Ian Queeley, provided the names of the dead men and the wounded man, and told SKNVibes that investigations were at the preliminary stage and so far no suspect was in custody.
The two men’s death bring to 11 the number of homicides recorded in the twin-island Federation for the year - 10 on St. Kitts and one on Nevis.
