POLICE CONTINUES TO GRAPPLE WITH EPIDEMIC OF GANG WARFARE AS IT TAKES ANOTHER LIFE ON ST.KITTS
Murder Victim Cleveland Berkely
Basseterre, St. Kitts, July 25, 2016 : The Violent Crimes Unit (VCU) of the Royal St.Christopher-Nevis Police Force is investigating yet another suspected gang-related shooting incident that has resulted in the death of one person, a 22 year old male resident Cleveland Berkley of the St.Johnson Village area .
According to Police Reports the shooting occurred at around 11.30am on Monday (July 25).
Initial investigations revealed that the victim was shot by an unknown assailant(s) while sitting under a tree in the area. He was taken to the Joseph N. France General Hospital for treatment and later died of his injuries.
Investigators from the Violent Crimes Unit and the Criminal Investigations Department and technicians from the Forensics Services Unit have canvassed the scene for evidence.
The investigation is ongoing.
The Police on St.Kitts-Nevis continues to battle with the ongoing well over a decade old gang-related violent crimes, in particular murders. The gang culture in St.Kitts developed in the mid 2000’s and reached a crescendo as far as significance and negative impact when the country reached an all time high of 35 murders in 2011 a record which landed the country on the world’s most murderous cities list according to a number of International publications. The government of the day largely dismissed the problem and the result was that the problem continued .
Despite significant efforts by the newly elected government to combat the well over decade long problem with 25% compensation increase and the largest budget allocation in the history of the country the problem remains a major nightmare for Law Enforcement on the twin island federation.
The government cannot fix this problem this problem goes beyond. I called into voices one year and I said the only how this problem will stop. It depends on the outreach of the community. To stop another generation from from taking ranks in these gangs. Who is already in these gangs no government can save them unless all decides to end it.