A man was shot dead in broad daylight in Wildey on Wednesday morning by a lone gunman dressed in a white hazmat suit, in an attack that has left residents shaken and police appealing for urgent public assistance.
Residents of Meadow Road, Wildey, were left in shock after the brazen shooting claimed the life of a man working in the area.
The victim’s identity was not immediately available.
Acting Inspector Ryan Brathwaite, public affairs and communications officer, confirmed that the police operations control room received the report at approximately 10 am.
He said: “A male contacted the operations control and stated that a male wearing a white hazmat suit had just shot another male and ran from the area.” Units were immediately dispatched to the scene, where they discovered the victim’s body along the roadway.
Initial investigations suggest the deceased was part of a group working in the neighbourhood when the attack occurred. Brathwaite explained that the man “was approached by that lone assailant who discharged a number of shots, injuring him in the process,” adding that the victim succumbed to his injuries before a medical doctor arrived to pronounce death.
The incident has rattled the quiet community. Ian Gilkes, a longtime Meadow Road resident, described hearing the gunfire. “I hear pop, pop, pop,” Gilkes said, noting that such violence is not normal for the area. “It don’t happen so [here].”
An elderly resident, who spoke with reporters while visibly shaken, recalled seeing the victim just the day before. “The last thing I said was yesterday before he left to go to church,” while shaking his head in concern over the level of gun play in Barbados.
Another resident, who also declined to be identified, expressed concern about the violence. “ I was watching sports on TV when all of a sudden i heard a few shots, that’s all I could tell you”, the resident said, “ I don’t feel good about these shootings.”
As a forensic team carried out its investigations, Inspector Brathwaite issued a plea for public cooperation and a return to community values. “We must continue to appeal to our fellow Barbadians, let’s be your brother’s keeper,” he said.
“If you know something, if you have seen something, please say something. Let us make Barbados a safe place. It does not have to be this way.”
Insp Brathwaite emphasised that the public must remain resilient in the face of such tragedy. “We must not put up our hands and give up on this situation. We must continue to work together for the betterment of Barbados.”
Making a call for spiritual guidance, the police spokesman said:
“Let us get back to the basics. Let us take our young children to church… Let God be our guiding light. This is the way for us to come back.”
Authorities are urging anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-8477, police emergency at 211, or the District ‘A’ Police Station at 430-7242.
(RR)
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