| Subject: |
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Wild Wild West.......Mayhem in St. Vincent |
| Name: |
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Arthur |
| Date Posted: |
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Apr 28, 07 - 2:04 PM |
| Email: |
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arthost@gmail.com |
| Website: |
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http://www.thevincentian.com/article.aspx?articleID=4882&zoneId=1 |
| Message: |
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GUN SHOTS RING OUT!
by William “Kojah” Anthony
2007/04/27
A series of shooting incidents over recent days rendered sections of capital city Kingstown and indeed other parts of the state, bewildered.
The upsurge in gun activityleft at least one person dead and several others nursing gun shot injuries.
Mozart Laidlow, a 24-year-old man, died at his grandmother’s residence at Campden Park about two miles to the north western end of Kingstown, last Friday. Circumstances leading up to Laidlow’s death were being looked into by the local constabulary.
However, sources close to the underworld say that Laidlow’s death is linked to a feud
which is said to have surfaced as a result of control over turf, relating to the selling of crack cocaine.
Monday madness
Gunshots rang out on two occasions last Monday in the Paul’s Avenue area, not too far from the offices of the Vincentian newspaper.
One shopkeeper received scratches to his face as a result of splinters from a bottle shattered in his premises during that gun blast. That was about ten in the morning. One man received a bullet to the neck in that outburst by a gunman who sought to protect his identity with a rag placed from the eyes down.
Another person, Nilio Gumbs, suffered a wound to the right leg during that barrage, in which, according to persons in the vicinity, five shots rang out.
Paul’s Avenue has seen its share of crime, but the blast of three more gun shots at about 1:30 pm that same day, left residents in the area, persons doing business there, or others passing through the district, with a sense of fear.
One man was taken to the hospital bleeding from a bullet wound as a result of that incident.
On that occasion, the gunman opted for the glare of daylight and he was seen making his way through an alley without any concern about concealing his identity.
Thereafter, persons began fearing that a pattern was set, and there were worries that the gunplay was far from over.
Continuing unease
Tuesday saw a repeat of the gun surge. On that occasion, the battle- ground shifted slightly outside of the Paul’s Avenue area. Another young man received gun- shots to the chest and neck in an incident at Wilson Hill, an area surrounded by a number of educational institutions.
The spate of gunshot blasts attracted the attention of the local constabulary for the early morning incident. A detachment of Special Services Unit personnel, monitored the early morning escapade, and by the time the second blasts occurred on Monday, the Rapid Response Unit, supported by members of the Criminal Investigation Department, were swarming the area.
Response to the Police from persons on the ground seemed lukewarm, as most individuals remained tight-lipped about what was happening around them.
The frequency of gun blast sent shivers down the spine of most persons in the area. Some business houses in the zone suffered slow turn- over as a result of caution by persons anxious to avoid outdoor activities, and the drop in business operation continued into Monday night.
One businessman who operated from his home in Paul’s Avenue remarked on the paucity in financial transactions as a result of the repeated gun blasts.
Another resident, regarded as an elder in the community, spoke about the tension over Monday, with the streets barely populated except for persons concealed in dark corners, some with trench coats, suggesting that they were prepared to confront any potential threat.
the Vincentian .com |
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