Three guns seized after weekend shootings in St. Vincent, police launch crackdown
Police in St. Vincent recovered three firearms linked to separate weekend shootings in Kingstown, Grenadines Wharf and Chateaubelair. Acting Commissioner Bailey announced zoned patrols and new forensic tools.
Three firearms recovered as St. Vincent police intensify gun crime response
Acting Commissioner of Police Trevor "Buju" Bailey confirmed Thursday that officers have seized three firearms connected to a series of weekend shootings across St. Vincent, iWitness News reports, describing the recoveries as part of a broader, intelligence-led push to contain rising gun violence.
The weapons were linked to separate incidents in Middle Street, Grenadines Wharf and Chateaubelair, each of which resulted in gunshot injuries.
Middle Street, Friday: A young woman was wounded in the left hand at a business premises. Police recovered a firearm at the scene and subsequently charged Raheim Williams with wounding, using a firearm to assist in the commission of an offence, possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition.
Grenadines Wharf, early Saturday: A second young woman sustained a gunshot wound to her back and remained a patient at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH) with serious internal injuries. A firearm was recovered and an investigation described by Bailey as "connecting the dots" is under way, with ballistic comparisons in progress.
Chateaubelair: A man suffered a gunshot wound to the head and was listed in a critical condition at MCMH. A third firearm was recovered and investigations are continuing.
"Whilst you would have heard of all of the shooting incidents, you didn't know that the police have recovered three weapons that are associated one way or the other in those matters, and we are doing what we have to do from our end with regards to the investigation of those matters," Bailey told reporters.
He said the recovered guns are being subjected to the "necessary ballistic comparison" as investigators seek to determine whether they are connected to other unsolved crimes.
Zoned patrols deployed across Kingstown
Bailey attributed the seizures in part to a deliberate operational shift in the capital, prompted by what he described as a noticeable rise in gun-related incidents over the preceding two months.
Senior management of the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force divided Kingstown into designated zones and assigned specific patrol routes to officers, Bailey said. As of Tuesday, he noted, residents and visitors should have observed a heavier uniformed presence across the city.
Officers on street duty are armed, he confirmed, and urged the public not to be alarmed. The force faces a "direct threat from the criminal elements among us" and must be properly equipped, he argued.
"We will not surrender any of our territory," Bailey said, adding that the officers deployed to protect lives "themselves are protected."
He also appealed for continued public trust, stating that the leadership "will not tolerate incidents of abuse" by officers and that the force cannot ask the community to partner with it while treating people or their property with disrespect. Officers executing search warrants, he outlined, must identify themselves, read the warrant aloud before beginning a search and handle property with care.
"You will see [us]. You have started seeing [us]. You will feel us," he said, referring to increased stops, searches and operations, before adding: "You may experience a bit of [disruption]. Sometimes your daily operation may be interrupted. Know that interruption is not deliberate or malicious, but it is one that is targeted."
New forensic equipment and regional laboratory access
Bailey said the force has acquired new equipment that enables investigators to make "a direct correlation" between individual firearms and multiple crime scenes by uploading impressions and analysing them "in a more scientific manner." Some officers have also completed additional forensic training and have returned to active duty, where their skills are already being applied.
He expressed confidence that results would follow: "I expect to see fruits of our labour being borne in the not too distant future."
Because St. Vincent does not yet operate its own forensic laboratory, the police remain reliant on overseas facilities for DNA and ballistic analysis — a dependency Bailey acknowledged has historically caused lengthy delays in some investigations. The force is building links with "friendly states" in the region to reduce those waiting periods, he said.
Local, regional and international partnerships
At the domestic level, Bailey cited close cooperation with the Customs and Excise Department, the Port Authority and the Immigration Department. While customs is commonly seen as a revenue body, he noted that it also carries "responsibility of security," given that all incoming cargo passes through its control before entering public circulation.
Regionally, the force draws on the Regional Security System (RSS) and CARICOM agencies, from which it receives what Bailey called "vital intelligence." He said these partnerships are central to intercepting the flow of illegal firearms into the country and resolving gun crimes that cross borders.
"We will continue to strengthen these partnerships," he said.
Source: iWitness News