BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – FOR too long serious crimes have been taking a tremendous toll on the Federation’s population which is just over 50, 000, and it is time for the implementation of drastic measures in order to make the country a safer place to live, work and visit.
Just two days ago (Jan. 24) the nation heard about the death of 24-year-old Hassan Evans of Pond’s Extension, who was shot multiple times on Upper Thibou Avenue at about 1:15 p.m. and shortly after succumbed to his injuries at the Joseph N France General Hospital.
Two others, 20-year-old Denzil Challenger of Old Road and Travis Herbert (24) of Godwin Ghaut, were also shot during that incident and transported to the hospital where they are currently warded.
A young boy was also reported injured but not by gunshot. According to residents in the area, the boy was on his way home from church when he heard the report of heavy gunfire. And fearful for his life, the child was running away from the direction in which he heard the shots being fired when he fell and either broke or fractured one of his hands.
One resident told this publication that in addition to some individuals who were within proximity of the shooting incident had scampered to safety, many others were too scared to venture out of their homes to see what was happening and only did so when the shooting ended.
“I was cooking when I heard the loud sound of shots being fired as if it was a war zone. I was too scared to venture outside, but later in the afternoon I spoke to some young men who told me what transpired. They told me that one of the wheels of a car was stuck in a hole in the street and they had helped the occupants to move it from there, not realising that the persons in the car were going to shoot the three men.”
Asked if any of the young men had taken note of the vehicle’s registration number, the resident responded in the negative.
Sources close to the police however had a different version to this incident. They told SKNVibes that the car was indeed stuck but the occupants were not the individuals who shot at the three men.
Three men were in the vehicle and the driver, who was unlicenced, had turned too close to the curb which caused the vehicle to become stuck. The occupants then exited the vehicle and were assisted by a group of young men in lifting and placing it back on the thoroughfare when another vehicle suddenly approached and the occupants opened fire on them killing Evans and wound Challenger and Herbert in the process.
The violence continued some eight hours later in Lime Kiln, where 20-year-old Cameron Liburd Jr. was shot by an unknown assailant. He had reportedly left his father’s home for his mother’s when the assailant fire several shots in his direction, striking him multiple times.
Liburd was transported to the JNF General Hospital and is currently warded there.
At about 1:30 p.m. on the previous day, two men were shot multiple times in the vicinity of Teddyz Bar in Church Ground, Nevis. The men were identified as Kennedy ‘High Science’ Powell (52) of Brown Hill and 36-year-old Michael Amony of Church Ground.
Police had informed that they were in search of a person of interest in connection with this incident, but it is not known if he was apprehended or still on the loose.
And information reaching this publication states that on Friday night (Jan. 22) a man was viciously stabbed by another in the vicinity of the Basseterre Ferry Terminal. He had seemed to be in a critical state and was transported by ambulance to the hospital. So far, nothing on this incident was heard from the police even though a few plain clothes officers were reportedly at the scene.
Evans was the second homicide victim for this year. The first was ex-Defence Force member Vancito Dore of Cayon who was killed on Thursday (Jan. 14). According to a police statement, the incident occurred at about 8:30 a.m. and initial investigations revealed that Dore was shot in the Upper Cayon area “by two masked assailants who alighted from a motor vehicle”.
A male resident of Ottley’s Village was in custody assisting police with their investigations into this matter, but it is not known if he was released.
Less than 12 hours before that incident, 24-year-old Kishmo Carey of St. Paul’s Village was shot in his foot by an unknown assailant while he and another person were walking across a playfield in the Rawlins Pasture area in St. Paul’s Village.
At approximately 8:10 p.m. on Sunday (Jan. 10), two men, whose names were not disclosed by the police, were shot in Shadwell Estate. The police however stated that initial investigations revealed that the men were sitting among a group of persons on a verandah at a home in the area when an unknown assailant fired several gunshots at the group. They were transported to the hospital by private vehicle.
And 2016 began with two separate shooting incidents, the first of which occurred at approximately 8:50 p.m. on New Year’s Day while the Grand Parade procession was on West Independence Square Street in the vicinity of Ashley Furniture Home Store.
According to sources, a 23-year-old man, who is believed to have been among revellers following the Nu Vybes Band, was shot to the right side of his body shortly after a police officer was overheard telling members of the band that their cut-off time was 9:00 pm.
While it was touted that he was shot by police, a senior officer dispelled the rumour and informed this publication that no one was held in relation to the incident but they were “vigorously investigating”.
The second incident occurred at about 3:25 a.m. on the following day on the island’s main road in Lower Cayon in the vicinity of the Seventh Day Adventist Church and the victim’s was 25-year-old Ellister Thomas of Ottley’s Village.
Information which reached this publication had stated that Thomas was earlier seen partying at the Frigate Bay Strip and was on his way home in the company of two individuals when the incident occurred.
Information further stated that the driver of the vehicle had reduced his speed to walking pace when in the vicinity of the Seventh Day Adventist Church because part of the road was blocked. A number of large plastic garbage bins were placed on the left side of the road and a few vehicles were on the opposite side, which had impeded the smooth flow of traffic.
During that brief moment, a number of unidentified gunmen, one with an Assault Rifle, had opened fire in the direction of the car and Thomas was struck in the right hip.
Like the hundreds killed in past years, the two homicide victims for this year were young men, and apart from the two men on Nevis, all others upon whom gunshot wounds were inflicted are also young men.
This does not auger well for the Federation’s youth; they are dying prematurely at the hands of unscrupulous assassins who have no regard for human lives. Some of these homicides are said to be gang-related, among which are retaliatory killings, and some are as a result of turf wars by drug pushers.
It is evident that violence is the order of the day among youths who seem not to know the term “conflict resolution”. It is therefore incumbent upon the powers that be to collectively dig deeper into their intellectual and leadership reserves to find a solution to significantly reduce the homicide rate in the twin-island Federation.
If that cannot be done soonest, then the law abiding citizens of this country will continually ask: “When will we see an end to serious crimes?”
