BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – A mentally ill man was shot in the foot by police after he allegedly sexually assaulted a female resident of Lovers Lane in Lower Cayon on Friday, July 31.

According to Police Press and Public Relations Officer Inspector Cromwell Henry, Sheldon Maloney, “a known mentally ill person”, of Conaree Village threatened a man, damaged the wing mirror of a car, attempted to break into two homes, and sexually assaulted a female.

Henry said about 9:15 p.m. on Thursday, July 30, a motorist reported to officers at the Cayon Police Station that while he was driving from Ottleys (in the vicinity of Cabbage Tree Housing) a male dressed in a red shirt and black pants and wearing a red mask jumped in front of his car from the seaside of the road, pointing what appeared to be a gun.

“The driver avoided the individual and accelerated. The police immediately responded and patrolled the area up to Lodge, where they saw a person fitting the description in the area of the ATM. He was wearing a mask and carrying a machete. He was identified as Sheldon Maloney, a known mentally ill person. The police approached him and he ran away through the bushes,” Henry said.

In the second incident, the Inspector said police received a report at about 10:30 on the same night from a Lodge Project resident, who claimed that an individual fitting the description of Maloney was trying to break into his home and had caused damage to his windows during the process.

“At about 5:00 a.m. on Friday, July 31, police received a report from a resident of Back Street Cayon that someone was trying to break into her home. Officers responded and the description given matched that of Maloney. A search was made and he was seen in the area of St. Mary’s Park, but he ran away as the officers approached him,” Henry added.

He further informed that some 30 minutes later, police received another report from a resident of Main Street Cayon that a person fitting the description of Maloney damaged the wing mirror of his vehicle.

“At about 9:30 a.m., Maloney went into the yard of a Lovers Lane resident while she was hanging out her clothes and sexually assaulted her,” Henry said.

Henry stated that while the police continued their search for Maloney throughout that day, he was seen at about 5:30 p.m. in Spooners carrying a cutlass.

“The officers approached him and he attempted to elude them once again. However, with the use of a service pistol, the officers subdued the suspect, injuring him in the foot. He was taken to the JNF Hospital where he is been treated and detained. He was subsequently arrested and charged for indecent assault on a female while the other reports are still under investigation,” the Inspector said.