Barbados recorded its 36th murder for the year in broad daylight today, in a heavily populated northern community, steps away from a secondary school.
And the Royal Barbados Police is Force (RBPF) is sending a strong message that it will be putting all its resources to use in an effort to tackle the issue of crime and violence on the island.
Thirty-one-year-old Shaakil Don’ele Williams alias Big Shack was shot just outside his home in the community of Porters Road, Queen’s Street in Speightstown, St Peter.
The incident, which happened just after noon, was just a stone’s throw away from the Alexandra School, which he once attended.
Police said they received the call around 12:35 p.m.
Acting Inspector Rodney Inniss again made a plea to residents to share information with the police while pledging that no stone would be left unturned as law enforcement officials sought to tackle the scourge of crime and violence.
“If you look at the area it is heavy populated on both sides of this narrow road. It shows how bold criminal behaviour has become,” he said.
“I am sure my Commissioner would want me to say we are taking a stance where we are going to stamp out this. We are going to fight and put everything we have out there, and of course, the police cannot do it by themselves. We need persons like you the media, and we need the residents to come and help us solve these crimes. We cannot allow these things to continue,” he said.
Inniss said the call about the shooting was made to the District “E” police station in Speightstown and police immediately responded.
“We are still very much doing our investigations to confirm certain things and to seek evidence,” he told reporters on the scene this evening.
“What we have been told is that an individual or individuals came to this area and a number of loud explosions were heard before the individual/s ran off. We are still trying to validate what we heard and we are gathering our evidence. What we can say is that one male was pronounced dead at the scene,” he said.
When a Barbados TODAY team arrived on the scene just before 2 p.m., a few residents were in the area but they refused to speak with the media.
Police had already cordoned off the area and the nearby school was closed for the remainder of the day.
Inniss pleaded with anyone with information to contact police emergency at 211 or the District “E” Police Station at 419-1730 or any police station.
Only residents from the community were allowed in and out of the area.
(marlonmadden@barbadostoday.bb)
