Police spot gang-linked symbols at Green Hill shooting site; four dead

Investigators have identified symbols painted on walls and structures in the vicinity of a shooting that claimed four lives in Green Hill on Friday night, and say these marks are connected to a particular group, though police have declined to name the group or explicitly tie the markings to the killings.

Acting Police Commissioner Trevor Bailey disclosed the findings at a Kingstown briefing on Saturday, stating that while he would not specify the markings themselves, officers were able to determine their association. He urged young people in St. Vincent and the Grenadines to reject criminal paths and embrace lawful citizenship.

The shooting erupted shortly before 10:30 p.m. on Friday. Responding officers discovered two bodies lying on a public road, a third inside a parked vehicle, and a fourth on adjacent property. All four victims bore gunshot wounds. Police have not officially named the victims, though the deceased are identified as Green Hill residents Steve King, 22, Antonio Samuel, 30, and Shaqueil Peters, 26, plus Shevon Chandler, 23, of Paul's Avenue.

Four additional people sustained gunshot injuries and were hospitalised. Two were treated and released; two remained under police watch at the time of the briefing. The wounded included a 20-year-old woman with a hand injury, a 17-year-old student with injuries to his arm, leg and hand, a 28-year-old man with an arm wound, and a 16-year-old mechanic with injuries to his thigh, forearm and hand.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Brenton Smith reported that no arrests had been made by the time of the press conference. Investigators were still working to determine what occurred and identify those responsible.

Smith cautioned against linking the Green Hill incident to a separate shooting at Ottley Hall early Saturday morning, saying any connection would require evidentiary support. Bailey acknowledged that police have documented instances of retaliatory violence between rival criminal groups.

Police are stepping up foot and vehicle patrols throughout Kingstown and nearby communities, improving coordination between units and conducting targeted searches. Smith noted that residents have reported feeling safer with the heightened police activity. Recent operations have yielded an AR-15 rifle and over 40 rounds of ammunition seized in Kingstown the previous week.

Bailey attributed the influx of firearms to porous borders allowing weapons to enter by air and sea. Police are partnering with the Regional Security System and other regional bodies to address trafficking. Smith said the homicide toll for 2026 had reached 37 by the time of the briefing.