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Basseterre, St. Kitts, March 24, 2022 (SKNIS): Members of the security forces and emergency services in St. Kitts and Nevis participated in an active shooter simulation on Wednesday (March 23) at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort.

Rooftop snipers and aerial drones provided support to the responding tactical units from the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force. Soldiers of the St. Kitts and Nevis Defence Force secured the perimeter.

Police Corporal Ryan Haywood led the clearing team as they moved through a three-storey building to neutralize reports of a single shooter and any other potential threats. The team searched diligently and discovered two firearms. They came across a victim who was shot by the assailant as they progressed through the building. After securing that particular section, the men and women moved to the next area while an extraction team safely removed the victim. The lone suspect was subsequently taken into custody without incident.

After the police operation was completed, forensic officers from the Crime Scene Unit processed the scene while members of the St. Kitts and Nevis Fire and Rescue Service conducted a final sweep. Emergency Medical Technicians also treated the injured.

Corporal Haywood has done similar exercises with the United States Marine Corps, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). He credited the men and women at today’s simulation.

“I have the utmost confidence in my team and the Police Force as a whole,” he stated. “The other participating agencies, based on what I have seen here today, I am very impressed.”

Adolf Adams, Assistant Commissioner of Police for Operations, echoed similar commendation for the participating agencies. He said the simulation was extremely important given the emerging global threats. The ACP also added that technology played an important role in shaping the response.

“Every area that they were moving into, we had an advanced team or a drone in the air doing surveillance and ensuring that the area was clear for our troops to operate. It also aided us with communication. We were able to communicate with the troops on the ground as well based on the technology that we had here,” he stated.

The response was coordinated from the Frigate Bay Lawn via the Police’s mobile command unit.