BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE twin-island Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis has recorded its 16th homicide last night (July 31) with the shooting-death of a male Tabernacle resident.
Dead is Maxwell Christopher of Tabernacle Village, who is estimated to be in his mid-thirties.
According to Police Press and Public Relations Officer Inspector Cromwell Henry, “Around mid-night, police responded to a call of a shooting incident in Tabernacle. On arrival, officers found the body of Maxwell Christopher lying on the main road of Tabernacle Housing Project with a bullet wound to his head. He was pronounced dead on the scene by the District Medical Officer.”
Henry said that no one has yet been held responsible for the shooting-death but investigations are ongoing.
He also stated the police are requesting the public’s assistance and “anyone who has information leading to the apprehension and prosecution of the perpetrator(s) should call the Tabernacle Police Station at telephone number 465-7227, or the Criminal Investigation Department at telephone number 465-2241 ext. 220, 230 or 236. You may also call the crime hotline at 707. Information received will be held in strict confidence”.
This has been the 16th homicide committed for the year. The first victim was 17-year-old Isimba ‘Ratty’ Bradley of Feinnes Avenue, Basseterre, who was shot on Central Street and died on one of the benches at the round-a-bout on the Bay Road by Port Zante on January 10. He was followed by Joseph ‘White Joe’ King (54) of St. Johnston’s Village, who was stabbed on January 20 in the vicinity of the Elite Laundry on the island’s main road in St. Johnston’s Village and succumbed on the following day at the JNF Hospital.
On February 6, Shawn ‘X Man’ Dias-Williams (34) of West Farm died at the JNF Hospital after he was shot while walking along an area known as Plough Ground in Saddlers Village.
His death was followed by that of Jusan ‘Heads’ Hendricks (18) of New Road and West Bourne Ghaut, who was gunned down at Pub Magnum on Fort Thomas Road on February 24. He too succumbed to his injuries at the JNF Hospital.
Collin ‘Izum’ Matthew (43) of East Street, Newtown was another shooting victim. He was shot multiple times on Catherine Julius Street in Ponds Extension on March 2 and succumbed to his injuries at the JNF Hospital. Two days later, a double homicide was committed in St. Johnston’s Village, where Akimba ‘Oil’ Whyte (19) of Cardin Avenue, St. Johnston Village and Kwesi Twells (20) of Manchester Avenue, Newtown were gunned down on the Infirmary Road.
Four days after the double homicide (March 8), 40-year-old Audwin ‘Sugars’ Pinney of Paradise Road, Conaree was shot multiple times to the body in his home village and later succumbed to his injuries at the JNF Hospital. He was followed by 14-year-old Bejay Dore of Warner Street, Cayon, who was allegedly stabbed by a 10-year-old male following an alleged altercation near his home on April 3.
Brandon Browne (19) of Trafalgar Village died from a gunshot injury to the head after he was fired upon at the junction of Market Street and Liverpool Row while driving a rental car eastwards along Fort Thomas Road in the wee hours of May 3. Exactly two weeks later (May 17), Icilma ‘Micey’ Francis (38) of Edwards Lane, New Ponds Site was shot in Molineux Village after leaving a club in that area at about 3:00 a.m. on May 17. She was shot in the chest while in the front seat of a vehicle that her boyfriend, Brian ‘DJ Ras Benjie’ Farrell, was driving with her daughter, Linda, in the back seat. Farrell was shot in the arm and leg but Linda was unhurt.
Just two days after Francis’ death, another woman, Orngel Estridge (26) of Cayon Village, was killed. She was shot to the head while talking with her boyfriend in a bedroom at her sister’s residence in Shadwell Gardens. Anthony ‘Bounty’ Williams was next. The 20-year-old of Fort Thomas Road was shot to the chest, abdomen and leg in Salt Pond Alley on Fort Thomas Road on June 5 and succumbed to his injuries at the JNF Hospital.
The 14th homicide occurred on July 10 when 24-year-old Randy ‘Ancient’ Daniel was gunned down on July 10 while he was about to park his car in his girlfriend’s yard in Tank Village, Upper Cayon. And the 15th homicide was committed on July 18 in Godwin’s Ghaut. The victim was 24-year-old Dexter ‘Asbal’ Marsham, who was shot eight times to the body including his head.
