Saint Lucia ended 2023 on a tragic note when a thirty-year-old man succumbed after sustaining stab wounds on Old Year’s Day.
The deceased has been identified as Shane Edwin of Morne Fortune, Castries.
The circumstances of the stabbing were not immediately apparent.
However, at about 5:00 pm, police responded to a report regarding the incident.
According to reports, the victim had walked to the Saint Lucia Fire Service (SLFS) Headquarters on Manoel Street, Castries, seeking help after sustaining stab wounds to his back and shoulders.
He had lost a lot of blood, had difficulty breathing and collapsed at the fire station.
Emergency personnel assisted Edwin and transported him to the OKEU Hospital.
Less than an hour later, at about 5:50 pm, a medical practitioner pronounced him dead.
Police have urged anyone with information regarding the incident to contact the nearest police station, use the Crime Hotline at 555 for anonymous reporting or the Crime Hotline App which is available in the Google Play Store.
Last year’s homicide count has matched the record 75 deaths that occurred in 2021.
Saint Lucia’s homicide count for 2020 was 55.
Headline photo: Stock image
Could you imagine that???? A small country like this and SO MUCH KILLING?
Can you accept the fact that, that is how St. Lucian choose to solve there differences. And to think of the notion that using the terms “boy I go die for you deh now” “remember I go kill you eh” “my hands wash in blood already eh” those terms are becoming reality now so watching a man kill another is now becoming a way of life. A lifestyle for thugs and bullies to strive on.
Homicide rates per 100,000 people:
Trinidad – 40.97
St. Lucia – 39.73
Jamaica – 46.44
St. Lucia neighbor Barbados which has a bigger population than St. Lucia ended the year with 18 murders. St. Vincent ended 2023 with 55 unlawful killings. Trinidad and Tobago murders stood at 590 some ten less than 2022.
The result has always been obvious. Surprisingly, the murder toll is not higher. If the tactics are flawed, don’t expect a miracle.
Just imagine catching a criminal with a gun and immediately releasing them. Further imagine, that the same criminal returns to his trade all the wiser. They are confident that they have beaten the system to an extent. Add to that, they are perceived as being smart by impressionable minds. You have effectively created a leader and mentor. Those leaders along with their crews are responsible for the heists and gang activities that are taking place. It takes about two years before a gun charge appears for trial. What do you think is happening in the interim? What about the deterrence factor?
No matter how many guns the police seize, there will continue to be a market for them. The buyers are principally criminals both seasoned and new ones. As long as there is continued leadership, there will be uncontrollable crime. Pierre has failed to decapitate the leadership because he is letting them out on bail. He must pass laws that stop the free flow of gun criminals back into society. This is what happens when someone assumes responsibility that they know nothing about. My father was a policeman decades ago, therefore, I am a guru. Notwithstanding technology has changed, times have changed, methods have changed etc.
Until bail is stopped for gun crimes, expect a similar result in the coming year.
They want to kill you and threaten you for what you work hard for While you are working hard all they do is drink rum , smoke weed and crack cocaine and talk about people who are making progress..
The government need to enact a minimum wage of 4 dollars an hour so the young people will be motivated to go and work
And yet still no change in govt policy towards crime. The many so called interventions seemed to hv not worked. I wonder what will the new strategy be? What is telling is that the PM doesn’t see a problem with the murder rate.
The PM when in opposition had all remedies for the island people. Now he deh he becomes like a tourist and so it goes. Politicians are known to be circus players nothing short of what Lucian like. They just a stupid set of people to accept what happens and don’t seek remedies blame others for their mistakes.
After 72, there was no count until this last one, but I am positive that between 72 and this last one there were definitely more than 2. In fact between 72 and 75, there was a double homicide, so count from that double and the 24 days without a murder that the PM announced. I know these figures are inaccurate.
I would really like to see an estimate of the number of attempted murders as well
@Rest My Case, I think you are on track. I know for a fact and maybe SLT can confirm, we were in the early 70’s, 71 or 72. There was at least 1 murder and the double IN Vieux Fort. Then Mr Pierre’s big pronouncement about 24 days without a murder. Then there were 2 or 3 in quick succession. Then this one on old year’s day. However there are still decomposing bodies found that haven’t been accounted for.
@Simple, that would be another interesting statistic that we will never get but I know and all St Lucians know that it is way above the 75 homicides.
Toronto with a population of over 3 million had 69 homicides in 2023. St. Lucia with a population of 180 thousand had 75. No sense of trying to justify the numbers. One homicide is one too many. What a waste of life.