The spot where Jn Baptiste was shot.
To some people 23-year-old Sherwin Jn Baptiste, aka Ti Carlos, who pleaded guilty in 2012 to possession of a firearm and ammunition, was a bad boy, but to his mother, Cheryl Jno Baptiste, her son was a good person “who didn’t look for trouble”.
“He was a quiet child, he didn’t look for trouble with anybody,” Cheryl told St. Lucia News Online via telephone on New Year’s Day.
Sherwin, originally from La Fargue, Choisuel but was living in Marisule, Gros Islet, was shot to death by a gunman behind the CDC apartments on Jeremie Street, Castries about 7:30 pm – less than five hours before 2013 ended.
The assassin, who was not wearing a mask, reportedly approached the area calmly before he pulled his weapon and fired at Sherwin, who ran and hid under a parked car to escape. Two other persons were also wounded in the attack; one sustained a gunshot wound to the leg.
An eyewitness, who requested to remain anonymous, told St. Lucia News Online what transpired.
“I heard the sound (of the gunshots) but I thought it was match bomb because since yesterday them man busting that downstairs so I paid no mind,” the individual said.
“When I started hearing people getting on, I looked down and saw the fella (Sherwin) under the car and the other (victim) ran to his apartment. My friend was coming from work at the time. My friend said the fella (the shooter) walked up to the block calm, pulled out his gun and started shooting. But it seems like the man they came for is the one that died, the rest (other victims) got stray bullets… Yeah the other two (victims) received stray bullets. The fellas were just on the block,” the eyewitness further explained.
The individual said the gunman really wanted Sherwin dead.
“.. When he (the shooter) started busting the shots, he ran after the fella (Sherwin) firing in his direction until he (Sherwin) fell and tried to go under the car for safety…. Somebody was parked right there and Sherwin tried to go under the car,”
Reports are that Sherwin may have been killed for stealing someone’s chain. His mother, Cheryl, told St. Lucia News Online she is aware of those allegations, but dismissed them.
“That’s what people saying but you know people. You know St. Lucians, they don’t know the truth but they say rumours,” Cherly said.
But several Castries sources say Sherwin was no saint.
“One of the fellas on the block said he use to steal too much,” one resident said.
Another resident did not mince words: “So look the vibe: Sherwin stole a fella chain on the other block, that’s by the taxi stand, and he went up on the other block. The fella Sherwin stole the chain from went and gets his padna and that’s how the shooting started. So all that sh*** go on for a chain.”
Sherwin’s mom insisted that those are just rumours and her son may have been killed innocently.
When St. Lucia News Online asked Cheryl if she is aware that her son was convicted for gun and ammunition charges in 2012, she replied: “Yes but the day they arrested him for the gun, he lie for the people.”
News reports indicated that on Oct. 31, 2012, Sherwin pleaded guilty to possession of an illegal firearm and possession of ammunition, a day after traffic officers intercepted a vehicle at the Deglos junction and discovered a 9mm pistol and 10 rounds of 9mm ammunition after a search of the vehicle and its three occupants.
Jn Baptiste was fined $15,000 for the possession of firearm charge or in default spends five years in prison and $17,000 for the possession of ammunition of ammunition charge, to be paid in full before December 30, 2012, or in default seven years imprisonment.
The charges against the two other occupants of the vehicle were withdrawn.
Meanwhile, Sherwin’s mother said she last spoke to her son hours before he was killed. She explained that she was walking through Castries town when she felt someone tapped her on her back.
“Is he that knocked me on my back and say ‘mommy what’s going on,’” she said.
After that, she said they spent most of the day talking.
“I spoke to him so nice and he told me he coming to Choiseul,” Cheryl said
When she reached home sometime after 6 pm she was still expecting her son to visit. But not long after, she received the bad news from her daughter’s boyfriend.
Cheryl said she was told that gunshots were heard shortly after her son and two other men had just crossed the street from the Castries market.
She said her son’s body was seen under a car. She was unable to say much more.
“I cannot say anything more right now. I am very sick…It’s very sad, I am taking it as easy as I can,” she said, adding that she is now waiting on the date of the autopsy so she could attend.