Vermont Man shot in Chato

St Vincent and the Grenadines recorded its fifth homicide for 2010 when 28-year-old Knezwin Samuel succumbed to bullet wounds at the Chateaubelair hospital on Friday, March 26, at around 10:07pm.{{more}}

Samuel, also known as “Thug”, was ambushed by one or more gunmen at about 8:45pm, while he was watching television in the living room of a rented house at Golden Grove, a quiet residential area near to Fitz-Hughes.

Phillip Lambert, who also goes by the moniker “Clovey”, told SEARCHLIGHT that he was in the kitchen frying plantains when he heard the first shot. He said he then heard Thug scream: “Leave me alone, boy”. Lambert said that he ran through one of the bedrooms and out through the backdoor into the surrounding bushes while shots kept firing. “Thug was like a brother to me. We went through a lot. I just can’t say how I feel right now but give thanks,” Lambert said.

Residents reported hearing approximately ten shots being fired, and when neighbours rushed to the scene, they found Samuel with gunshot wounds about his body. Samuel was taken by ambulance to the hospital where he later died.

Samuel’s father, Malcolm Neverson, told SEARCHLIGHT that he would really miss his first son who was a great help to him. “He was one of the good guys,” he said. Samuel leaves behind three young sons with another baby on the way in Chateaubelair.

Neverson also said that Samuel was raised by his grandmother, Hilda Neverson. “She will really feel this,” he also said.

Connie Nash, a businesswoman who runs a grocery shop and bar at Richmond, said that Samuel was at her place earlier that evening and he told her he was not feeling well. Nash said that her boyfriend gave him a bottle of Lucozade and a cigarette. Samuel also told them that his birthday was coming next month and he invited them to his birthday bash. “I will really miss Thug. Regardless what anybody want to say, he was me soldier to the end,” a sad Nash said.

Samuel reportedly received five bullet wounds to the upper body. Police are carrying out investigations. Up to press time no arrest had been made.