BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – TWO male students of the Charles E Mills Secondary School in Sandy Point were this afternoon (Jan. 10) nursing wounds at the Pogson Hospital following an altercation with two masked youths, armed with a firearm and a machete.
Reports reaching SKNVibes indicate that sometime before 1:00 p.m., two young men, one armed with a firearm and the other with a machete, entered the school’s compound from the western entrance, attacked and wounded two students of the learning institution.
While on the way to the scene of the crime, SKNVibes met a senior personnel of the police force who indicated that he could not make any statements to the press and that this media house should contact the Police Press and Public Relations Officer.
However, on reaching the school, SKNVibes spoke with a number of individuals, including two parents, who indicated that two students of the school were being treated at the Pogson Hospital for wounds sustained during the altercation, and two others from the same school were in custody at the Sandy Point Police Station assisting the authorities with their investigation.
One mother, who voiced her disappointment in the police’s behaviour, said she was at work when she received a telephone call requesting her presence at the school.
“While I was at work, I got a call saying that my son was arrested by the police and I should go to the school. Instead of going to the school, I went to the Sandy Point Police Station and I learned that my son was held in custody there.
“As a concerned parent, I asked several officers to tell me what is it my son did for him to be on the bench, but no one was willing to provide an answer; all of them ignored me even though I was there for quite some time. Their behaviour towards me was uncalled for and these officers need to be trained in how to speak and deal with the public. How do they expect to mend the broken relationship between members of the public and the police force? They want our cooperation and yet do not cooperate with us!”
One female told this publication that the hospitalised students alleged that the woman’s son was one of the two masked men who attacked and wounded them.
She however added that the woman’s son had left the school to have his lunch at home, but on returning to the learning institution police arrested him and took him to the station.
“Yesterday, he and one of the injured boys had an altercation and I want to believe that is the reason why the police arrested him. But this incident could have been avoided if the security guards were doing what they are paid to do.
“There are two entrances to the school and the two guards were assigned to be there. Instead, they regularly leave the gates unprotected and always thumping people’s children. If the one who is responsible for the western gate was there, she would have seen when the masked men were entering the schoolyard and could have alerted the police. The station is not far from here,” the woman said.
It is not known if the two juveniles in custody were released or charged for the incident, for at press time SKNVibes was still unable to get additional information from the police.
