FRENCH QUARTER:--- A young man identified as Arinaldo Hanley (24) was shot around 9:30am at Brooks Car Wash on French Quarter main road on Sunday morning. The shooting took place during the regular Sunday morning bike race. According to bystanders, the young man was shot while being at the location where the Sunday morning bike race takes place each week. Bystanders at the scene said the young man was shot innocently when a fight broke out among some other young men. They said that one of the fighters hit another person with a hammer in his head and the person reacted by firing a number of gunshots. Another person who was also on the scene tried to stop the shooter by firing shots also, but Hanley died on the spot despite the efforts by rescue workers and a doctor from SAMU who was on the scene trying to revive him.
Some of the regular onlookers of the Sunday morning bike race told SMN News that they ran for their lives when they heard multiple gunshots. "We ran for our lives, because shots were fired from both ends. The shooter who managed to escape from the scene in a car was also shot in his foot, one bystander told SMN News reporter. Both the victim and the shooter it is said are from the Dutch side of the island. The body of the dead young man was still at the scene up to midday Sunday as several gendarmes and crime scene officers remained on the scene to gather evidence as they conduct the latest homicide investigation.
Several persons on the scene said that law enforcement and government officials are responsible for the illegal bike races and gathering on Sunday mornings because they tried to convince government officials to provide a safe spot for their bike racing hobby but their pleas fall on deaf ears.
Commandant of the Gendarmerie Paul Betaille confirmed to SMN News that two persons were shot in French Quarter Sunday morning one of whom died on the scene from the injuries he sustained due to the gunshots. Betaille said the second victim that was shot in his foot is in stable condition at the Louis Constant Fleming Hospital. The head of the Gendarmerie further explained that the shooter managed to escape to the Dutch side through the Belvedere border. Betaille said they already have indications as to who the suspect is and they are working with the Dutch side police to locate the suspect. He further explained that the victims and the suspect are all residents of Dutch St. Maarten and they apparently had some sort of feud which they came to the French side to regulate which led to the shootout and subsequent killing.
Click here to view more photos of the scene Sunday morning.
