BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE early morning silence in Shadwell Project was shattered by the sounds of gunfire and the wailing of family members as a young man was gunned down just outside his home.
Information reaching this publication states that shortly after 3:00 a.m. today (July 21) Michael ‘MK’ Phillip was killed by unknown gunmen.
According to reports, Phillip, who is said to be about 19 years old, was asleep in his Shadwell Project home when gunmen kicked down the front door, dragged him outside and shot him multiple times to the body.
He was pronounced dead on the scene by the District Medical Officer and his body was taken to the Jenkins Funeral Home under police escort.
Just a few weeks earlier, gunmen had fired a number of shots at Phillip’s residence, which resulted in him sustaining a wound to one of his fingers.
Phillip’s death has taken the number of homicides recorded in the twin-island Federation for the year to 21; 19 on St. Kitts and two on Nevis.
His death also marks the fifth homicide to have been committed in St. Kitts over an 18-day period.
On Monday (July 4) Brian ‘DJ Benjie’ Farrell of Shadwell Estate died at the JNF Hospital after he was shot multiple times to the body while he was about to enter his nursery in Edwards Lane, New Ponds Site.
Three days after, 25-year-old Ricardo ‘Fila’ Pemberton of Old Road was shot multiple times to the body while on Wingfield Road. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Less than 12 hours after, 22-year-old Wendell ‘Dog’ Wilkinson of Cardin Avenue was shot multiple times to the body in the vicinity of a shop in Union Street and succumbed to his injuries while undergoing emergency medical treatment at the hospital.
On July 9, 19-year-old Jamone Hanley was gunned down at approximately 11:55 p.m. by two masked men a short distance from his West Farm home.
All of these homicides are still under investigation.
