Knives Overtaking Guns as the Murder Weapon of Choice
Saint Lucia posted its eighteenth homicide for the year, with the fatal stabbing of a Rock Hall teenager Monday night near the Derek Walcott square in Castries.
A post-mortem on the body of 17-year-old Marlon Boxill found the cause of death to be hemorrhagic shock due to a single puncture wound to the chest.
Police say they have no suspects, and although a knife was recovered from the scene, investigators are yet to establish whether or not it is linked to the incident.
The community action program for safety has noted that knives have surpassed firearms as the main weapon employed in the latest spate of murders.
Boxill had apparently been among the crowd of people enjoying 'Mas-on-the-Square', a carnival event usually held ahead of the main street revelry a week later.
In recent years most of the island's murders have been the result of male-on-male violence, with those involved being mainly in teenagers.
That's why a new committee has been formed in an effort to tackle the surge of teen violence and other crimes. The new body -- which includes religious, civic and community leaders guests -- is known by the acronym FAITH: Fighters Against Increasing Threats to Humanity.
One of its members, Rastafarian leader Peter Ipa Isaac, has called on politicians to play their part in quelling violent crime.
He believes there are parallels between the local situation and Jamaica, where politicians are accused of fomenting violence for political advantage, with little regard for the heavy human and societal toll.