Leader of the official opposition Cora Richardson-Hodge has said an “urgent response” is needed after a man was murdered outside the Anguilla Courthouse yesterday morning.
“The growing incidences of gun violence have to be keenly reviewed to ensure that the safety of all is of paramount importance,” she said in a video statement on 20 July.
“I will be reaching out to the governor, the police commissioner and the premier, as this is a matter of national concern.
“The safety of our people, those who work in our criminal justice system and visitors is non negotiable, and demands our most urgent response.”
A 33-year-old man from Bad Cox Pond was shot and killed at the juncture between the Anguilla Courthouse and the House of Assembly, The Valley Police Station and His Majesty’s Prison.
The incident took place at about 10.40am on 19 July, and Richardson-Hodge said the man was due to attend court that morning.
The shooting comes amid a surge in gun-related crime in Anguilla, with three other men losing their lives in separate shooting incidents this July.
The leader of the Anguilla United Front told viewers that everyone is in a state of shock over the “deeply disturbing incident” which “cannot be taken lightly”.
“As an attorney who has for years represented litigants before the court, I can only imagine the distress that my colleagues who were in attendance at court must have felt,” she said.
“I also sympathise with the court staff, the judiciary and the visiting public, who must all be shaken by this state of affairs.”
She offered her condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of this victim and advocated for calm across Anguilla.
“I pray that those persons who are engaging in violence would stay their hand, as we are a small community and we are all interconnected,” she said.
“We are one family, one people. May God bless our people, as we navigate this issue, and may God bless Anguilla.”
