Residents of Bruceville, Vieux-Fort are now describing their community as tranquil, following the chilling crime sprees there over the years.
Bruceville was one of the most troubled areas in Vieux-Fort over the years, where several young men had their lives snuffed out of them by gunshots, execution-style. It was one of the battlegrounds in Vieux-Fort, where rival gangs clashed in deadly confrontations and the sounds of gunshots pierced the night sky regularly.
Vieux-Fort was designated an Escalated Crime Area from March 20, 2023 to May 16, 2023 due to the surge in crime, which forced the government to seek the assistance of the Regional Security System (RSS) to bolster its crime fighting effort.
Residents of Bruceville attribute the significant reduction of violent crimes in the community to the hard work of the police and the intervention of several organizations.
According to them, many of the criminals in the area are either in jail, killed or overseas.
“I don’t know when last there was a fight in Bruceville,” a resident said, describing Bruceville as peaceful.
Last year, residents from certain parts of Vieux-Fort were afraid to walk in Bruceville, due to the surge of gun violence there. They described walking there, especially at night, as a chilling experience.
An elderly lady recalled one day while she was walking along New Dock Road she had to hobble back to her home when she heard the sound of gunshots in the vicinity of Bruceville, which left her shaken for the rest of the day.
Today, the situation in Bruceville, once called Shantytown, is different.
According to the residents, not only has there been a significant reduction in violent crimes in Bruceville, the area is gradually being developed with businesses and larger houses..
“Bruceville is becoming the capital of Vieux-Fort. People from other parts of Vieux-Fort come here to purchase items and also enjoy themselves,” a resident said.
“What we are missing in Bruceville now is a bank,” the resident added.