St. Pauls, Sandy Point ‘gang’ warfare erupts

By VonDez Phipps
Reporter-SKNVibes.com

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE sounds of screaming and glass shattering disturbed the peace on Mount Idle, Sandy Point this afternoon (Jan. 6) when a group of masked assailants began pelting bottles and stones at another set of young men exiting B’s Enterprises.

When SKNVibes arrived on the scene around 1:30 this afternoon, the section of the Main Street immediately in front of the supermarket was cordoned and guarded by police officers and members of the St. Kitts-Nevis Defence Force who had responded to a call from the persons in the vicinity.

This media house was reliably informed that a group of young men from St. Paul’s village who had gone to Sandy Point for a Magistrate Court hearing went into the supermarket to purchase drinks. Upon leaving the supermarket, about four masked young men were in the Main Road brandishing golf clubs, bats, machetes and bottles, making violent gestures to the young men from the neighbouring village. 

It was reported that a massive fight ensued which forced innocent shoppers to their knees holding their heads, while cashiers and employees made frantic attempts to escape the cross-fire.

One eye-witness reported that there was a “harsh exchange of words” which seemingly led to the violent clash in the entrance of the supermarket. It was also reported that two brothers were injured; one received cuts on his hand and the other suffered lacerations to the face beneath his right eye.

One traumatized shopper said, “I was just there doing my normal shopping and then I heard shouting and screaming and glass breaking! I felt like someone was attacking us! Then all of a sudden the big glass door [at the entrance] was smashed into pieces by a stone.”

Police officials on the scene said although no one was able to give an account of the cause of the incident, it seemed to be a gang-related fight between Sandy Point and St. Paul’s, a feud that has existed for a number of years.

The law enforcement officer also said that pieces of bottle have been collected for finger printing to ascertain the identity of the culprits. He stated that although there have been no arrests in relation to the incident, there will be ongoing investigations into the matter.

SKNVibes was informed that footage from the business’ surveillance cameras would be used in an attempt to identify the individuals involved.