BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – A 16-year-old lad was shot early this morning (Jan. 20) and is said to be in a critical state at the JNF General Hospital.
Information reaching SKNVibes stated that Shakeem Walters, also known as Hotness, of West Street, Newtown was shot in Park Street, Basseterre in the vicinity of National Housing Corporation (NHC) shortly after midnight.
On arrival at the hospital, this media house met and spoke with his mother, Shermine Walters, who said that her son had left the home earlier last night but returned shortly before midnight.
“I was in bed when he returned home at 11:51 p.m. He called out to me and I gave him the key to unlock the door and I returned to bed. I did not know that he had left the house, because, normally he would either have supper or sit for hours watching TV before retiring to bed.
“I only knew of his absence after hearing his phone ringing for a long while. So, I told his sister to answer the call and she informed me that it was a female friend of his that called, and she told her that he was not at home."
Shermine said she went back to bed and, as a concerned parent, she could not sleep because she did not know the reason for her son leaving the home neither did she knew where he went.
The mother added that while thinking what would have caused him to be out of the home without informing her, a neighbour called out to her and she got out of bed.
“While I was in bed, I heard someone calling for me. I realised that it was my neighbour so I got up and went to her. She told me that someone had found my son with bullet wounds to his body in the vicinity of NHC and I immediately ran out of the house.
“When I got there, he was on a stretcher and they were putting him in the ambulance. I did not know which part of his body was injured and I requested to see my son, but the police officers who were present said that I could not see him. So I returned home, changed my clothes and came down to the hospital.”
SKNVibes also visited the crime scene, which was secured, and was told by one of the officers that “no stone will be left unturned in this shooting incident”.
At news time, a family member told this publication that a surgeon had removed the bullet from Walters’ head but the other one was still lodged in his body.
