Shooting leaves 4 dead in Caribbean nation known for luxury tourism, police say

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (AP) — A manhunt was underway Saturday after a shooting that left four people dead in the small Caribbean island nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines , where authorities have struggled to contain gang violence.

The Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force said late Friday that officers responded to reports of gunfire in Green Hill, a district located just outside of the capital city of Kingstown.

“Two bodies were met lying on the public road, the body of a female was discovered in a vehicle that was parked on the public road, and on an adjacent piece of land another body was discovered,” acting Police Commissioner Trevor Bailey said at a news conference Saturday.

Bailey said the corpses had what appeared to be gunshot wounds.

Four people were also injured in the shooting, with two of them still hospitalized.

There were no immediate arrests and police said they were still trying to determine the motive for the crime. Police said they registered another killing on Saturday, and were investigating whether it is linked to Friday night’s shooting.

St. Clair Leacock, the minister of national security, condemned the “unfortunate” and “unnecessary” shootings, while speaking on NBC Radio, a local news outlet Saturday. He said that while St. Vincent and the Grenadines remains a peaceful country, gang violence has plagued many communities.

According to police, 37 murders have been recorded this year in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, a country with a population of 110,000. The former British colony is made up of 32 islands and cays in the eastern Caribbean and has long relied on tourism as its main source of income.

The small archipelago is known for its volcanic landscapes, untouched coral reefs and white sand beaches that have made it a popular yachting destination. It is also home to several private islands that cater to the rich and famous.

“These homicides create a serious nightmare for us,” Leacock said.