A violent public altercation at a community J’ouvert celebration in Babonneau, Saint Lucia, has left one man hospitalized following a brutal confrontation between multiple attendees on Sunday.
Local news outlet St. Lucia Times obtained graphic cellphone footage of the clash, which unfolded along Babonneau’s main public roadway, just a short distance from the area’s local police station. The video captures four men engaged in a full-scale brawl, with all participants throwing projectiles at one another while dozens of onlookers stood nearby watching the chaos unfold.
Eyewitness accounts confirm the outbreak of violence happened in the final hours of the event, as crowds were beginning to disperse after the morning celebration. In the recorded footage, one of the four men involved eventually falls to the pavement after exchanging blows and missiles. Once he is down, another attacker strikes him in the head with an object that appears to be a large rock. Immediately after the assault, the attacker and the other people involved in the fight fled the scene before law enforcement could intervene.
Onlookers can be heard on the video sharing uncertain and worried speculation about the condition of the injured man, who remained motionless on the road after the attack. Local police officers arrived at the location within minutes of the altercation being reported to secure the scene and arrange emergency medical care for the victim.
St. Lucia has confirmed the identity of the injured man as Jude Thomas, who is currently receiving care at the OKEU hospital. A hospital spokesperson confirmed Thomas is in stable condition as of Monday, after suffering a concussion from the blow to his head.
One witness who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity shared that the entire brawl grew out of a minor, personal disagreement between the men. What started as a shouting match quickly escalated into a fight involving broken bottles, before the violent confrontation ended with the fatal-appearing blow to Thomas’ head.
The Sunday morning J’ouvert was scheduled as the opening event for the annual Babonneau Carnival, one of the most anticipated small-community carnival celebrations held across the island nation of Saint Lucia each year. It remains unclear whether the rest of the scheduled carnival activities proceeded as planned following the violent incident.