Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) security forces are on high alert after five people died in a hail of gunfire Wednesday night in the capital, Kingstown.
A thirteen-year-old student was among those who died, and one individual was receiving treatment in the hospital.
On Thursday, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Acting Prime Minister Montgomery Daniel told reporters while he could not reveal details, law enforcement, put on high alert, would be robust, engaged, and proactive in handling the deadly gun violence.
Daniel disclosed that among the five people who died in Wednesday evening’s unprecedented violent crime surge were individuals who survived previous attempts on their lives.
And he warned against amplifying baseless rumours, especially on social media, and generating unfounded hysteria.
“We are still gathering all of the facts,” the Acting Prime Minister told reporters, adding that the police investigation was still in its early phase.
“In the coming days, we will uncover the reasons and the persons behind these barbaric acts and we will follow the facts wherever they lead,” Daniel stated.
Police Commissioner Colin John also spoke at Thursday’s news conference.
John asserted that the country is generally safe.
He said that based on police intelligence, less than one hundred individuals commit the majority of such crimes in a population of about 110,000.
“That’s a small group of persons, and also based on our intel, these shootings – the majority of them, they are as a result of something that would have happened since 2014 where some drug transaction went wrong and then persons who are friends, they came forth, and then it continued up to today,” the Police Commissioner told reporters.
Headline photo: Four of the five people killed in Wednesday night’s gun violence.
Most of those islands that forms the windward islands were generally safe now it looks like its spilling over from st lucia to st Vincent and might continue south in grenada so small islands are not the safest places in the Caribbean no more no more
With all the modern technology and surveillance systems around us and the location of our islands it befuddles the mind how a few all be it well networked criminals seem to evade the efforts of law enforcement throughout the region. Is it a lack of will to do or an effort for regional destabilization by far greater powers? Are we wilful participants or unsuspecting pawns in this ever evolving saga?
This article sounds like a chorus in a song, where it seems criminals have a playground in the Caribbean Islands doing their thing over and over. We know most of these crimes are drugs related but act as if its some kids playing in the playgrounds hitting each other saying tag. I want to see the day when the leaders start to clean up this mess or is it that they simply don’t care or have the will power to handle this mess! Parents its time to do something about your kids also you know some of them are selling drugs, having illegal guns and turn a blind eye. What is it we as a small island are coming to?