Saint Lucia’s top cop, Vernon Francois, has refused to comment on the recent shooting in Castries, though the victim has claimed that he was wrongfully shot by the police.
When St. Lucia News Online (SNO) called to get a comment from Francois today, the commissioner asked his secretary to inquire which media house was seeking the comment.
Once we provided the name of the media house, this publication was then told by the top cop’s secretary that he has no comment to make on the shooting incident.
SNO also contacted the Ministry of Home Affairs and National Security, to speak with Minister Victor Philip La Corbiniere, but was told that he is not in office.
The shooting victim told SNO in an exclusive interview yesterday that the incident may have been a case of “mistaken identity”.
A police statement issued yesterday said a patrol responded to a report that a male was in possession of a firearm in the same area. The police identified Darel Prevost as a suspect.
However, the victim has denied any such claim and said the police did not conduct a search on him nor found any weapon in his possession.
Prevost believes he was wrongfully shot. He stressed that the police did not stop him to conduct any searches; instead they shot him from behind.
He said it could have been anybody, because at the time he got shot, he was walking in a crowded area.
After Prevost was shot, the police questioned him about his friend whom he was talking to minutes before the incident. Prevost said he told the police that he does not know about his friends’ whereabouts.
The 23-year-old man said despite the fact that he and the said friend were schoolmates, he was never in close contact with him and haven’t seen him in a while, until the night of the shooting.
Prevost sustained one gunshot to the right side of his buttock. The bullet penetrated his thigh, broke a bone, and a blood vessel. He is expected to undergo surgery shortly.
When SNO contacted Prevost’s mother today, we were told that since the shooting, no police have spoken to Prevost or any of his family members. They are yet to take a statement from the victim and provide relatives with a reason for the shooting.