Police have arrested the occupants of a car in which a firearm was found as their investigations into the three shooting incidents that left two people dead last weekend continue.
Additionally, iWitness News was reliably informed that a female lawyer was taken into police custody as part of the investigation, but was released on Tuesday without charge. The female lawyer was not among the occupants of the car in which the firearm was found.
In a statement, on Wednesday, Commissioner of Police, Colin John, said that the police are aware of an audio recording of persons “purportedly issuing threats.
“The audio recording and the reports of shooting are all being investigated,” the police chief said, referring to the weekend violence.
In a three-minute recording making the rounds on social media, men promise to avenge the death of one of the two men killed in Ottley Hall on Saturday, before he is buried.
Members of warring gangs threatened to continue to attempt to kill each other’s members, saying that there will be “no white flag” or “peace treaty” and that it is not a “media war” or “police war”.
The men mention specific names of people allegedly involved in the feud and give detailed information of places where they had allegedly seen the targets of their hostility as well as the registration number of the vehicles in which they were allegedly travelling.
John said that on Tuesday evening, as part of the investigation of the shootings, a vehicle was intercepted and searched.
“A firearm was met in the vehicle. The occupants of the vehicle were arrested and investigations are continuing.”
The police chief said that the constabulary “is utilising its resources to ensure that the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines remain safe.
“We are also soliciting the assistance of members of the public to assist us in this regard.
“We thank the public for their continued support and assistance, and the members of the Police Force for their continued hard work and dedication to the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and its visitors,” the police chief said.
On Monday, for the second time in a week, Opposition Leader Godwin Friday called on the police to update the public on the status of their investigations into recent homicides.
The opposition leader said that the police have “an obligation to deal with this matter seriously and to say to the people, ‘we are as concerned as you are. In fact, more so because it’s our job to find the causes and the perpetrators and look for solutions as to how we are going to address this question.’”
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, for a second time since Sunday, made a passing reference to the violence as he spoke on other national issues.
“… a section of the young males in our country who have a fascination with firearms, with guns, everybody has to make sure that they take advantage of the many opportunities which are available. You have to develop a skill,” Gonsalves, who is minister of national security, said on his weekly show on NBC Radio.
“The gun is going to lead you to one place: the cemetery. It may not be today, it may not be tomorrow, but as sure as the sun rises, it going be day after tomorrow,” the prime minister said.
He said parents, schools, churches, communities, the police, the law courts, the social safety net systems, sports, and culture have a role to play.
“And, there is more than an abundance of it and some of the persons who are getting involved, some of the young males are intelligent persons and by far most of them are not hand-to-mouth,” the prime minister said.
On Saturday, Mosiah Westfield, a labourer, of Ottley Hall, died on the scene after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds about his body in Ottley Hall.
Isiah Carter, a 19-year-old labourer, also of Ottley Hall, who was shot in the stomach, died at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, where he was being treated.
In a separate incident in Cane Hall, on Saturday, Tommy Grecia, 39, of Villa, sustained multiple gunshots about his body and was taken to the MCMH for medical attention, where he is listed as in stable condition.
Then, on Sunday, Dwayne Davy, 32, unemployed, of Ottley Hall, sustained a gunshot wound to his body.
He was taken to MCMH for medical attention and was treated and discharged.
Editor’s note: This article was update to make it absolutely clear that the female lawyer was not an occupant of the car in which the firearm was foound.
Parents for the gang members when ur son leave home at nights to play..do you really investigate??but you all will claim an say he trouble noone..for sure alot of these gang members have girlfriends who know what is right…let them kill each other because the police can’t stop them from buried one other
Criminals can do as they like but ordinary people are victimized. Ralph declare dat every body should do something except the ULP government. Ralph yo evil wutliss man pitch yo arse. Stewps
Man stop cry and do yo wok wid out fear or favour, wa yo ah cry fa.
He is not a man. He iz a stouge. A weakheart hidiot. Just tek a gud look at him face.