BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – RESIDENTS of the Federation awoke this morning to news of yet another attempted murder in the Half Way Tree area — the second shooting in the community in less than 24 hours.
According to a police report, 20-year-old Khaliq Hanley is currently hospitalized at the Joseph N. France (JNF) General Hospital nursing gunshot wounds. The shooting occurred around 8:40 p.m. on Thursday, June 19.
Preliminary investigations indicate that Hanley was inside his home reading when an unknown assailant(s) entered the premises and opened fire. He was struck in the left forearm as he attempted to flee.
Hanley was initially transported by private vehicle to the Pogson Medical Centre in Sandy Point before being transferred by ambulance to JNF Hospital, where he is listed in stable condition.
This incident follows the shooting of 23-year-old Jelani Forde of the Harry Phipps Housing Project on the evening of June 18. Forde, too, was taken to the Pogson Medical Centre by private means before being transferred to JNF Hospital, where he remains in stable condition.
The Federation has seen a surge in gun-related incidents in recent weeks. Police have intensified their stop-and-search operations and the execution of search warrants as part of ongoing efforts to remove illegal firearms from the streets.
Police recently revealed that 11 illegal firearms and 110 rounds of ammunition have been seized so far this year. Law enforcement officials continue to stress that illegal guns remain a major contributor to homicides across St. Kitts and Nevis.
