Yulanda Frederick (centre) was gunned down on July 1.
Reliable sources in the police force, Leslie Land and surrounding communities have labelled as “rubbish” and “utter nonsense” theories that last weekend’s violence in the inner city is linked to the recent homicide of Yulanda “Jordan” Frederick.
Last weekend, three civilians were shot and injured in three separate incidents, mainly in the Fond Le Grande, Castries community. Only one shooting took place in Leslie Land and it involved a resident from La Toc.
However, a police source with knowledge of the investigations told St. Lucia News Online (SNO) last weekend that none of the shootings are linked to the 35-year-old, who was shot at least 15 times in Leslie Land on Tuesday, July 1.
“The shootings involve two factions in the area of Wilton’s Yard and the slums near Fond Le Grand, and the police officers on the ground are aware of this, so any other insinuations are rubbish, rubbish, lies,” the source said.
“It’s not surprising that Frederick’s death would be used because of the character he was and the timing of his death but no one has begun to war yet over his death. His death killing has nothing to do with what’s going on in the city.
“The security minister (Victor La Corbiniere) needs to get up out of his air-conditioned office and get into the communities with the commissioners and interview people. I am sure he will get a totally different view…. He is too passive as a minister as national security,” the source added.
Persons close to Frederick also echoed similar sentiments. One of the sources say Frederick was not from Leslie Land where he was killed, so there is no reason for the shootings in the area. They claimed he was lured to the area and the killers are believed to be from another community.
“Awa, Jordan is from La Clery. He was only visiting Leslie Land when he was shot. Jordan has no click (crew) from Leslie Land. He lived in La Clery, he grew up La Clery… just pure nonsense them man talking, utter nonsense… If Jordan was from Leslie Land then we could say the war is over Jordan,” the source added.
The source further disclosed that Frederick was aligned to a gang before he went to prison. However, most members of that gang, including its “boss” (gang leader), have been killed.
“The man left prison. Yes he was still rolling with his friends, but he was not in a gang…. I would more say before prison, then there would be a bigger war. But awa, not right now. This war is between them fellas behind Courts (Fond Le Grand) and Graveyard,” the source said.
“The police knows this. They just need to go in and stop the nonsense.”
St. Lucia News Online understands that last weekend’s shooting stemmed from the shooting of a man on July 2 who is linked to the Wilton’s Yard area.
Since that shooting, there has been reprisals which have only placed innocent lives at risk.
The first incident occurred at about 8:45 p.m. on Friday, July 4, and involved 20-year-old Quain Jn Louis of Leslie Land, Castries. He sustained multiple gunshots to the body whilst on Chausee Road, Castries.
The second happened at 7:45 p.m. on Saturday (July 5) when unknown person/persons fired several shots in the Fond Le Grand area. As a result, 51-year-old Michael Gustave of Fond Le Grand, Castries sustained a gunshot wound to the abdomen.
The third shooting took place on Sunday, July 6, at about 8:30 p.m. Several shots were discharged in the Leslie Land area. As a result, Mary Claudia Francis of La Toc, Castries sustained a gunshot wound to the right leg.
The source said only one incident involved the Leslie Land area – the shooting of Francis who is not even a resident of Leslie Land.
“Even a fool can see that. The lady from the Marian Home (Francis) was innocent, she was just happening to walk in the area when shooting broke out and she got shot….she from La Toc, not Leslie Land. The first two shootings took place near Chaussee Road and Fond Le Grand, not Leslie Land. Is the minister of national security paying attention?” the source questioned.
The sources further claimed that the minister and the police commissioners should speak the truth at all times and arrest the growing violence in the inner city communities.
“The morale of the force is at its lowest in many years. The US is not making our jobs easier, and neither is the government,” a police source claimed. “Too much cover-up, hiding and band-aid solutions just for the sake of tourism.”
Another source, who lives in the Wilton Yard’s community, said: “The criminals are getting smarter my boy… they using Yulanda shooting as a cover to war… but the police knows better…. Yulanda’s reprisal hasn’t started…. Deh need to go after the right people.”
Sources in Wilton Yard claimed their community is always the target of operations even though the police are aware who the troublemakers are.
“Police can’t stop nothing so stop asking dem to help…dat’s our life, we are soldiers..We on Gaza are not bad people but we are provoked by the b*** nigga who coming by the Grave Yard and bursting shots. It’s time we teach them a lesson…so best advice for your innocent citizens just keep away.
“We not shooting people for Jordan…Jordan not in our crew. We kill for the youth deh shoot in front the Grave Yard …Fellas shooting our pardners and police still coming in the Grave Yard, deh ain’t going Grass Street, Conway and Slums,” the source added.
St. Lucia News Online interviewed the majority of our sources last weekend during the shootings, but was waiting to get a comment from the national security minister or police commissioner before releasing this information. However, our meeting and interview with the security minister, which was scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. today, July 9, was postponed by the minister’s office.
A planned meeting and interview with the police commissioner last month was postponed by the top cop at the last minute.