Four people were shot and killed and four others were wounded in St. Vincent and the Grenadines following a late-night shooting in the Green Hill community near the capital, Kingstown, as police launched a manhunt for those responsible.
The shooting occurred shortly before 10:30 p.m. Friday, September 25, prompting officers from the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force to respond to reports of gunfire. Acting Police Commissioner Trevor Bailey said officers found two bodies lying on a public road, while a woman was found dead inside a vehicle parked nearby. A fourth body was discovered on an adjacent property. All four victims appeared to have suffered gunshot wounds.
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Four other people were taken to Milton Cato Memorial Hospital with gunshot injuries. Police said two were treated and released, while two remained hospitalized as of Saturday. No arrests had been made at the time of the police briefing, and authorities had not established a motive for the killings.
Police have urged the public not to speculate about the circumstances surrounding the shooting while investigators work to establish what happened. Authorities were also investigating a separate shooting reported early Saturday and had not determined whether the incidents were connected.
The killings come amid concerns about rising gun violence in the 32-island Caribbean nation. Police said 37 murders have been recorded so far this year in a country with a population of about 110,000. National Security Minister St. Clair Leacock condemned the latest violence but said St. Vincent and the Grenadines remains a peaceful country despite gang violence affecting some communities.
Authorities have increased patrols, searches and intelligence operations in and around Kingstown as investigators pursue leads. Police have appealed to anyone with photographs, video, surveillance footage or other information related to the shooting to come forward.
The violence has also drawn attention because St. Vincent and the Grenadines is heavily dependent on tourism and is known internationally for its beaches, coral reefs, sailing and luxury tourism offerings, including private islands that attract high-end visitors.
Police are continuing their investigation, with no arrests or publicly confirmed motive reported as of the latest briefing.
