BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – IN spite of the Commissioner of Police’s repeated appeal to the public for a violence-free Carnival, yesterday’s (Jan. 3) Las Lap celebration was marred to some degree by the shooting of a young man and the beating of another.
Reports reaching SKNVibes state that sometime after 8:00 p.m., while revellers were jamming to the music of the Nu Vybes Band, a shot rang out, and on investigation it was discovered that 21-year-old Audington Cyder of Wades Garden was shot in his lower abdomen.
The incident occurred in the vicinity of Mac Pennies on Cayon Street, Basseterre and Cyder was transported in a private vehicle to the JNF Hospital, where he is currently warded.
This media house learned that no one has so far been held in connection with the incident, but police are investigating.
Meanwhile, some two hours before the shooting of Cyder, another 21-year-old, Shavaughn Hendricks of Lime Kiln, was beaten and had to be treated for lacerations to his face and upper back.
SKNVibes learned that shortly after 6:00 p.m. while Hendricks was in the vicinity of Sol Gas Station on Cayon Street and Victoria Road, a group of young men, suspected to be gang members, had attacked and severely beaten him.
Hendricks was also transported by private vehicle to the JNF Hospital, where he was treated for his injuries and discharged.
No one was also held in relation to this incident; however, investigations are ongoing.
Just three days prior to Las Lap, which brought the curtains down on the 2010/2011 National Carnival activities, Acting Commissioner of Police Stafford Liburd had highly commended the public on its behaviour during J’Ouvert Morning and Grand Parade Day.
He had noted that apart from a few minor incidents, the Carnival was violence-free and called on the public to maintain that trend.
