A Stubbs man, who is in his early 20s, was shot and killed in Akers on Wednesday, five weeks after at least three threatening comments were made on his Instagram account.
The man’s relatives have identified him as Shem Walker.
The circumstances surrounding the killing are unclear, but his body was found along the side of the road in Akers, near a car — registration number PA666 — that appeared to have crashed into a property adjoining the road.
The left front door of the vehicle was open, suggesting that Walker might have attempted to flee after the vehicle crashed.
Sources told iWitness News that the occupant(s) of the car might have come under fire as it drove down the road, culminating in the crash and Walker’s death.
The death brings to 34 the number of homicides recorded in St. Vincent and the Grenadines this year.
Five weeks ago, threatening comments began appearing on Walker’s Instagram page.
A private account with no display photos, no public posts and three followers left the threatening comments on the same photo on Walker’s account.
“Yk how much time we bleach at that strip club,” read the first message, using the messaging shorthand for “you know”.
The message ended with a “downcast face with sweat” emoji, which generally conveys feelings of sadness, disappointment, exhaustion, or frustration.
“Swear to jah we going get you just stop hide,” said a second comment, which ended with a “man facepalming” emoji, which represents frustration, disappointment, embarrassment, or disbelief.
“D killers them must get you stop hide,” said the third comment, that ended with a “crying face” emoji, which primarily signifies a moderate level of sadness, pain, frustration, or disappointment.
Among the officers to respond to the killing on Wednesday was Assistant Commissioner of Police with responsibility for crime fighting, Trevor “Buju” Bailey, Superintendent of Police Clauston Francis, Assistant Superintendent of Police Noland “Grandpa” Dallaway, and Detective Inspector Biorn Duncan of the Major Crimes Unit.
The killing on Wednesday is the second shooting incident that police are investigating this week.
On Sunday, two men, Enrique John and Tilon Patterson, both 26, of Layou, were shot while travelling along the public road in the central Leeward town.
Sources said that the men appeared to have been shot during a shootout by unknown assailants.
John is among six people charged with several offences, including attempted murder, in connection with the robbery of a credit union in South Rivers on July 16, 2024.
Walker’s family is the third left to mourn the death of a loved one in their 20s as a result of killings over the last two weeks.
On Oct. 27, as the country celebrated its 46th anniversary of independence from Britain, news broke that the bodies of two people were found in a car in Fenton.
They were later identified as Kamalo Glasgow, 24, of Rillan Hill and his girlfriend, Cassique Richards, aged between 25 and 26, a domestic of Walker Piece, Montrose.
Post mortem examination concluded that they were beaten and strangled.
Police are yet to make an arrest in any of these cases. People with information are asked to call 999 or their local police station or talk to any police officer.