The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

THREE men were shot and killed in separate incidents over the weekend, pushing the country’s murder count to 21 for the year, according to the Tribune’s record.

The three incidents happened less than 24 hours apart on Saturday, with the last two incidents both taking place around 9.30pm in different locations.

This country’s latest murder occurred shortly after 9.37pm when a man sitting outside his friend’s residence was shot dead in Samson Street, Nassau Village.

Many bystanders crowded in the streets anxiously watching, with some holding back tears as police entered the scene.

“The victim was sitting on a scooter on the outside of a friend’s residence. It was during this time, that he was approached by a male who produced a handgun and opened fire on him. This resulted in the victim being shot multiple times about the body. The suspect then fled in a southern direction, making good his escape,” according to police. 

 Emergency medical technicians were summoned and confirmed the victim had no signs of life. 

Chief Superintendent Chrislyn Skippings spoke to reporters on the scene and said the incident was one of the two shooting incidents that happened Saturday night.

She added police were also following significant leads of the Nassau Village murder, noting that the incident may be connected to another murder that took place in Faith Avenue South on Saturday morning.

“We believe and were following some information that the matter this morning and this particular incident may be related. But we’re not definitive about that,” CSP Skippings said.

The second incident on Saturday evening happened shortly after 9.30pm in Akel Close, Montel Heights, where two men were shot. One died who is believed to be in his late teens and the other was taken to the hospital. 

According to police, they found two males lying at the front of a residence suffering from multiple gunshot injuries.

“The victims were standing at the front of a residence, when they were accosted by two armed males who emerged from a track road off the East-West Highway. These males then opened fire on the victims, who were both shot multiple times about the body.”

The victim, believed to be in his late teens, died on the scene. The other victim was taken to the hospital via EMS, where his condition is unknown.

Family members were heard screaming in the background, one relative cried: “Lord please no, no Lord, please.”

Meanwhile, shortly after 4am on Saturday morning, the body of a man burned beyond recognition with gunshot injuries was found in Faith Avenue South. 

“Police were alerted to a dirt road in the area of Bone Fish Pond. Upon the officers’ arrival, they observed the body of a male who was burnt beyond recognition. Further examinations revealed that the male had gunshot injuries and lacerations about the body.”

EMS confirmed the man had no signs of life.

Police did not officially identify the victim, however, a relative of the deceased identified him as 24-year-old Wilton Andrews.

Earlier this month, Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander said he intends to reduce the country’s murder count below 100.

Commissioner Fernander revealed his 2023 policing plan at a press conference where he outlined six key priorities to impact crime trends.

He reiterated that police are focused on maintaining law and order, preserving the peace, preventing and detecting crime, apprehending offenders, and enforcing the law.

The commissioner noted that this year, and specifically the month of March, police will “flood the streets” in an effort to upset crime trends and tackle gun violence in the country.