Saint Lucia recorded a total of five killings including two double homicides last weekend, as law enforcement officers continue to battle against the prevalent criminal activities, particularly gun violence on the island.
In one incident, two residents of Grass Street were gunned down in a drive-by shooting on Sunday evening. The victims, identified as Walter Hoffer (also known as ‘White Boy’) and Sharmar Martin, were found near the Starfish Hotel in Rodney Bay, slumped over in a white Toyota Yaris.
In the aftermath of the gunfire, social media posts depicted the two men slumped over in a white Toyota Yaris.
Another double homicide occurred in the Castries East constituency at Marchand. Two young men were shot dead last Saturday. Officers discovered the male victims with apparent gunshot wounds along Marchand Road. They were taken to the Owen King European Union (OKEU) Hospital, where they were pronounced dead. The victims were identified as Thaddeus Denis (alias “Coco Boy”) and Evitus Lynch Junior (alias “Red Boy”) from Black Mallet, Castries.
During investigations, the Major Crimes Unit and supporting officers from the Marchand Police Station apprehended a male suspect. He was found in possession of a Smith and Wesson 9mm pistol with a magazine containing 11 rounds of 9mm caliber ammunition. Alton Jn Jacques, 33, of Marchand Boulevard has been charged with offenses related to firearm and ammunition possession.
On Friday, June 7, about 10:40 a.m. officers attached to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Vieux Fort Police Station initiated investigations into the fatal shooting of a male at Augier, Vieux Fort.
It is reported that two male suspects, unlawfully gained access to the residential property of a police officer. One suspect was fatally shot, while the second escaped on foot.
The deceased was identified as Delson Marcusie of Cantonment, Vieux Fort. He later pronounced dead by a medical practitioner at the St. Jude Hospital. One .40 calibre Glock firearm, with a magazine containing 14 rounds of .40 calibre ammunition was recovered from the deceased.
Meanwhile also last Saturday, about 4:00am, officers attached to the Anse La Raye Police Station responded to a report of a suspected vehicular collision-related death, of a male, at Venus Millet, quarter of Anse La Raye.
Investigators discovered an unresponsive male victim lying on the ground with apparent injuries about the body. Medical personnel who were on the scene assessed the victim and pronounced him dead.
The deceased has been identified as thirty-four-year-old Brad Pelage alias “Pot Head”, of Vanard, Anse La Raye. This matter is being treated as a Hit and Run vehicular collision.