Teenage girl killed in The Village

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – ST.JOHNSTON’s Village was again shaken earlier today (Aug. 8) following a mid-afternoon shootout, killing a young female.

At around 5:00 this evening, SKNVibes responded to calls of a shooting incident occurring in the Village. When this media house arrived on the scene the lifeless body of Stancia Lake, 14, was found on the floor of a friend’s house on the corner of Wigley Avenue and Cayon Street.   

According to unconfirmed reports, the young Basseterre High School student was combing one of her male friend’s hair in the said house when an unknown number of gunmen opened fire through the window. The young male was reportedly able to escape without having suffered injury; Lake however received a fatal bullet to the head. At this point, it is not known how many bullets were fired.

At about 5:30pm, District Medical Officer Dr. Mervyn Laws pronounced Lake dead shortly before a large crowd of villagers arrived on the murder scene. Individuals attempted to console distraught family members who watched Lake’s body motionless in her own blood.

Police officers and personnel from the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) were on the scene but were not in a position to give a comment.

SKNVibes contacted the Public Relations Officer of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force Inspector Cromwell Henry who informed that police officials have not yet been able to garner any information surrounding Lake’s murder. He however informed that investigations will be ongoing and that a press release will be issued as soon as can be prepared.

Lake’s death brings the Federation’s murder toll to 18: seventeen in St. Kitts and 1 in Nevis. She is the third female to have died by the gun for the year in the St. Kitts-Nevis.