A typical afternoon for two young men in the quiet community of L’Abbayee, Bexon ended in tragedy on Thursday, when both were shot in an incident that stunned residents and left one man fighting for his life.
Reo Maximin, the younger of the two victims, succumbed to his injuries shortly after the shooting. The second individual, whose identity has not been released, remains in critical condition at the Owen King EU Hospital.
A resident who lives nearby and heard the gunshots ring out admitted he didn’t immediately realise the gravity of what had occurred.
“I thought someone was just trying their gun,” he said, “until I heard loud screams.”
According to the resident, the shooting took place at an abandoned structure known as a hangout spot for the victims. He expressed disbelief that harm would come to the men there, saying he did not know them to be involved in any criminal activities.
“I don’t know them to be any badman at no level,” he added.
A close family friend of the deceased echoed that sentiment, visibly shaken and struggling to make sense of the killing.
“This is not something we deal with often. It’s very difficult. I think the whole community feels really bad,” she said.
In the aftermath of the incident, relatives say they are left with more questions than answers.
“Everybody asking ‘why’, but we cannot answer,” said one family member. “We want to know why, what he did, what transpired.”
Maximin’s uncle said the family is determined to find out what happened.
“I want justice for my nephew,” he said.
The fatal shooting adds to a troubling trend of violent crime across Saint Lucia, with several killings reported in the span of just one week. Police have launched a full-scale investigation into the incident.
Residents of L’Abbayee are calling for answers – and peace – in the wake of yet another act of senseless violence.
