The shooting incident took place just outside of the Irish Town Primary School this morning (June 20). According to reports, a lone gunman exited a vehicle in the vicinity of the school and began shooting. The gunman then chased an individual who escaped unscathed.

 

Powell told SKNVibes that everyone should come together as a society, not just as individuals, political parties, governments or opposition, and denounce such criminal behaviour, adding that “I reach out to members of the community who may have information to work along with the police to find the perpetrators involved. It is time that we really make efforts to come together and get rid of this scourge.”

 

“I am concerned that that happens anywhere but more specifically around students. It shows the boldness of criminals. There is no excuse for it and no other adjective to use in describing somebody who does that other than a criminal and a person like that needs to be treated as criminals and that is why we must come together, we must work with the authorities to find persons who feel that they can take the law into their hands or take justice into their hands and commit these kinds of crimes,” he said.

 

Powell is also calling on all residents to not only come together in stamping out crime but to also put their faith in the members of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force and speak out when they have information of criminal activities in their communities or anywhere else in the Federation.

 

“A lot of persons are afraid to report and give information because they fear for their lives, they don’t necessarily have the confidence in the system as it is to give information unanimously and not be identified thereafter,” the Ambassador stated.

 

He noted that there are hotlines in place for tips and information to be given to the police unanimously and residents can be assured that their calls are not connected directly to the police stations but rather to other systems, system and this is done to protect callers against being identified.

 

“At the same time, while we are fearful, these criminals continue to run around and do nonsense like this and we may, as residents, feel ‘boy I’m not going to say anything now’ but what happens next week, if it happens again and it is your son, your daughter or somebody close to you?” Powell asked.