~ Gang war begins among certain youths, Grand Case Shooting termed as mistaken identity. ~
Grand Case: --- One day after a double homicide was registered on the Saint Martin, a third was registered around midnight Friday.
Residents in Grand Case were bombarded with the firing of gunshots, which claimed the life of a young man who is well-known in the community. However, several persons who know the youth who was killed said it was a case of mistaken identity because the attackers were looking for his brother.
The family who now reside in Concordia are devastated by the loss of their youth.
Residents on the French side of the island are frustrated with the spike in criminal activities on Saint Martin; they said authorities need to nip this in the bud because it will destroy the island and the tourism industry.
“Something must be done with the level of delinquency in Saint Martin. Also, there needs to be a ban on scooters. There are too many robberies throughout the island using unregistered scooters. The current trend is not a good one, and it's time the authorities step up and take control of the increased violence around the island. Clearly, there is a gang war that has just begun, and this is not the end; people on Saint Martin need to brace themselves for what seems to have taken over the island.”
French Prosecutor Xavier Sicot said early Saturday morning that the information he received late Friday night was that three persons were injured in the Grand Case shooting. All three were transported to the Louis Constant Fleming Hospital for treatment. Sicot has since confirmed that one of the victims died while two remain in hospital. He said an investigation into the murder and attempted murder are ongoing. The French Prosecutor has since called on all persons with information on the latest shooting to contact the Gendarmerie.
A week ago, an American judge was robbed and shot; gendarmes arrested two persons for that act, and the suspects have been transported to Guadeloupe, where they will be tried. Lieutenant Colonel Hugues LOYEZ further stated that the case of the robbery and shooting of the American tourist has since been closed, and the suspects are awaiting trial.
He explained on Friday evening, gendarmes also heard gunshots while passing on RN7 in the vicinity of Grand Case.
He explained that three men were arrested near the Sandy Ground Lagoon as they were suspected of stealing boats. The three suspects are also in preliminary detention.
In the meantime, Kemoy Gumbs, a well-known figure on St. Martin, was gunned down around midday on Thursday; moments after that shooting, a second shooting took place in the vicinity of Fishpot Road, which claimed the life of another youth identified only as Ashton.
French Prosecutor Xavier Sicot said in a statement on Thursday that two men were shot dead Thursday midday in QUARTIER D'ORLÉANS. Both men are over 18 years of age. The investigation has been entrusted to the research section of the SAINT-MARTIN gendarmerie brigade.
A flagrant investigation for
- organized murder,
- criminal conspiracy to commit a crime, and
- possession of category A and category B weapons.
The Basse-Terre public prosecutor's office has relinquished responsibility for the case to the specialized inter-regional court in Fort-de-France, Martinique.
Delinquency: Gendarmerie Commandant Hugues Loyez reviews the latest incidents
American tourist shot in Grand-Case: robbers jailed
The two perpetrators of the armed robbery, including the gunman, have been remanded in custody after being arrested by the research unit. They were imprisoned in Guadeloupe last night.
Three arrests for theft in flagrante delicto in Sandy Ground
Last night, in parallel with the two-stage shootout in Grand Case that claimed the life of one man and injured two others, Gendarmerie officers arrested three men on the Sandy Ground lagoon, committing thefts from boats. Caught red-handed, they were arrested and taken into custody.
Action reaction by the Gendarmerie
According to Commandant Hugues Loyez, the Saint-Martin gendarmerie is reorganizing internally “to move into a combat posture”: “Investigations are moving forward, the gendarmerie is not suffering, all personnel is mobilized, and you can count on us to ensure that each killer is arrested and imprisoned under the authority of the Basse-Terre public prosecutor's office.”
