A shocking daylight homicide unfolded near St Mary’s Primary School on Tuesday afternoon, marking a brazen act of violence that has rattled the inner-city community of St Michael, Barbados. According to official reports from the Barbados Police Service, law enforcement units were dispatched to Chapman Lane following emergency calls reporting gunfire at approximately 1:42 p.m.
Acting Public Affairs and Communications Officer Inspector Ryan Brathwaite disclosed that police operators received initial alerts about the shooting, prompting an immediate multi-unit response. Subsequent communications directed officers to 3rd Avenue, Chapman Lane, where witnesses reported discovering a motionless body.
Preliminary investigative findings indicate the victim was seated in a local gathering spot known as ‘the canal’ when two assailants approached him from both sides. The perpetrators opened fire with multiple rounds, causing the victim to flee before collapsing fatally on 3rd Avenue. Despite urgent medical response, a attending physician confirmed the victim’s death at the scene.
Inspector Brathwaite has issued a public appeal for information regarding the shooting, emphasizing that ‘no information is too small’ for investigative purposes. Authorities have directed potential witnesses to contact Crime Stoppers Barbados at 1-800-8477, Police Emergency at 211, or the Criminal Investigations Department directly.
The incident has provoked profound community distress, particularly given its proximity to school grounds during afternoon hours. A longtime resident who knew the victim described him as non-confrontational and expressed deep sorrow over the tragic nature of his death. ‘Any person that dies that way is very bad, especially for the family and friends,’ she stated, noting the widespread emotional impact on neighborhood residents and children.