* Dramatization
Residents in Soufriere are concerned that gunmen are ‘back in business’ in the rural high-end tourist community after several incidents over the weekend.
Reports are that at about 11:15 p.m. on Sunday, April 26, two masked men armed with shotguns entered a popular bar in Soufriere town. The men reportedly looked around and left.
About 10 minutes after their exit, a distressed woman reported that she was robbed of her Samsung Galaxy S4 cell phone by two armed men.
Police sources told St. Lucia News Online (SNO) that the same gunmen were seen in different parts of Soufriere over the weekend, but efforts to capture them have been futile.
“We tried our best to apprehend those bandits but to no avail. Officers patrolled both mobile and on foot but nothing,” a police source said.
Residents fear that a new gang war will erupt based on the most recent criminal activities.
On April 18, 2015, a machete-wielding man entered a popular bar in Soufriere and hurled threats then left. In addition, a gang war in March resulted in a tourist receiving injuries during a stone-throwing incident. Several shootings were also reported.
The violence was quelled following the arrest of several suspected gang members and the recovery of a number of firearms and ammunition.