Police say an armed suspect opened fire on officers during a targeted anti-crime operation on Chaussee Road, Castries on Tuesday, prompting an armed exchange that ended with the recovery of a Glock 27 pistol. The alleged shooter remains at large, but a senior lawman says those involved in the incident have been identified.
Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the Central Division, Luke Defreitas issued a statement on Thursday, addressing the incident.
“Those involved in this incident are urged to immediately surrender themselves to police custody, as you have been identified,” ACP Defreitas said.
According to police, officers attached to the Gangs, Narcotics and Firearms Unit, supported by other units within the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force, were conducting targeted operations in the Central Division aimed at suppressing violent crime and illegal firearms activity when they confronted an armed suspect along Chaussee Road in Castries.
Defreitas said the suspect discharged multiple rounds directly at officers, placing their lives in immediate danger.
Officers returned fire, responding with what Defreitas described as “discipline and lawful restraint”, narrowly avoiding serious injury or death during the confrontation.
A Glock 27 pistol was later recovered. Defreitas described the weapon as one designed for close-range lethality, saying its recovery underscores the serious threat posed by illegal firearms.
The suspect escaped.
“The Royal St Lucia Police Force emphasises that such attacks on officers are direct attacks on the nation’s security and will not be tolerated,” Defreitas said.
He linked the incident to what he described as a marked upsurge in gun violence across the island, with criminal networks continuing to use firearms with “reckless disregard for public safety”.
The senior lawman warned criminal elements not to be emboldened by the incident.
“While the offenders have escaped, this was in the interest and safety of the wider public. Under different circumstances, the outcome would have been different,” he said. “The courage and professionalism displayed by the officers prevented what could have been a tragic outcome.”
Defreitas also used the opportunity to remind the public that the fight against gun violence requires vigilance, cooperation and respect for the rule of law.
