Police investigates shooting incident

Vaughn Henderson

St. Kitts, 20th January 2011 – At approximately 10:30 pm last night (Wednesday 19th January 2011), police officers of the Cayon Police Station were in the Canada Industrial Site area, just east of Conaree, conducting investigations into a report of a stolen motor scooter. While in the area above the Solid Waste Management Corporation (SWMC) landfill, in the vicinity of Insta Tyre World, police saw a motor scooter traveling with two persons, a rider and a pillion rider approaching them. When the scooter passed the police the police recognized that the scooter had no license plate or registration number affixed to the back and they immediately set chase. The occupants of the scoter then fired gunshots upon the police and the police returned fire in hot pursuit.

The motorized chase ended at the main road junction leading to the Quarry when the occupants of the motor scooter fell off when they attempted to make a left turn onto the main paved road leading to the Quarry. The occupants of the scooter then made a run for it up the paved road leading to the Quarry and then made their escape through the nearby bushes. The police followed on their heels and managed to capture a young man identified to be 21 years old Xavier Phillip of River Ghaut, Cayon coming from the nearby bushes with gunshot injuries to his left wrist and left leg.

The police offices immediately called for backup and members of the various task forces as well as members of the St. Kitts and Nevis Defense Force (SKNDF) arrived shortly afterward and searched the nearby bushes and terrain for the other rider who managed to elude the police and is still at large. Members of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) also arrived and transported Phillip to the JNF Hospital where he received emergency medical treatment and is detained in stable condition under police guard.

None of the police officers involved in the incident was injured. The crime scene was processed by officer from the Crime Scene Department and one (1) 9 mm pistol and a motor scooter were retrieved from the scene and taken into police custody for further analysis. At approximately 9:30 am this morning police officers from the Criminal Investigations visited Xavier Phillip at the JNF Hospital and arrested him on suspicion for shooting at the police with intent to do them serious harm.

The police are making an appeal to members of the general public to call the Criminal Investigations Department at 465-2241 Exts. 220, 230, 231 and or 465-8351, and give useful information regarding this incident, in particular the other rider who is at large.