Twenty-six-year-old Jhareem Carter was killed in a shooting on Long Bay Road in Anguilla on Wednesday evening.
According to a police statement on Facebook, officers of the Royal Anguilla Police Force attended the scene to the west of the island shortly after 11.30pm on 10 July.
They were responding to a call from a member of the public.
At the scene officers confirmed that a man had been shot and fatally wounded, the statement said. The scene was locked down and a full investigation has begun.
A police spokesperson said: “This is a very serious incident and a tragic loss of life. We are appealing to the public to help us identify anybody responsible for this attack.”
It added: “Whilst we understand that the community will be concerned, we do not believe there is a wider risk to the general public.”
‘Deeply shocked’
Governor Julia Crouch and Premier Ellis Webster issued a joint statement on 11 July in which they said they were “deeply shocked” by the shooting and recent spate of gun crime.
“Our thoughts go out to the families and friends of the victims and to all those affected including members of the public who have witnessed these events,” they wrote.
The governor and premier said police family liaison officers have been appointed to support relatives of the victims.
“It is extremely disappointing to see the use of guns on our peaceful island after months of calm,” the statement continued.
“The Royal Anguilla Police Force are working tirelessly to bring those responsible to justice, bolstered by armed officers from the UK as well as 20 recently recruited officers.
“They will be doubling down on security and investigations into those behind these disgraceful acts as well as taking forward additional security measures to keep the public safe.”
Working together
The governor and premier said that the community needs to continue to support the police to respond to these “terrible events” by providing information on those responsible.
“We urge anyone with information on any of the recent incidents to report it to the police.”
They concluded: “Only by working together, can we end the scourge of gun-crime, and the loss of lives affecting us all.”
The incident comes just days after police shot and killed a 19-year-old from Rey Hill at Island Supermarket in White Hill on 7 July.
Anyone with information on either incident can call 911 or (264) 497-2333 or leave an anonymous comment at www.gov.ai/911
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was updated at 4.30pm on 11 July to include the statement from Governor Julia Crouch and Premier Ellis Webster.
