In the year’s third murder, a man was fatally wounded in a shooting at a Long Look residence on Sunday night near The Stickett, police said.

Kemo Lettsome, 37, of Long Look, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Police Information Office.
The next day, the National Security Council met and received a briefing on the killing from Deputy Police Commissioner St. Clair Amory.

“Initial inquiries indicate that the shooter drove by the residence in a vehicle around 6:30 p.m., discharged several bullets, and left in the same vehicle,” according to a joint NSC statement issued Tuesday by Governor John Rankin and Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley. “Much more information is needed to help with investigations into this incident.”

The statement added that Mr. Lettsome was “gunned down senselessly and defenselessly,” and it appealed to the public to provide information about the Sunday killing and two previous shooting deaths that occurred earlier this year.

During a Tuesday press conference, Dr. Wheatley — who represents District Seven, which includes Long Look — said Mr. Lettsome was his cousin and expressed condolences to his family.

“We are resolved that more must be done to arrest crime and solve murder cases,” Dr. Wheatley added. “I have requested of the National Security Council an action plan to confront the challenge of violent crime in our community, so it can be rooted out from these Virgin Islands.”

Previous killings

The incident on Sunday evening was the third fatal shooting this year.

On the afternoon of Feb. 6, Yan Edwards, who himself was facing a murder charge for a 2011 killing, succumbed to gunshot wounds he sustained at Parham Town in East End. Two people have been charged with perverting the course of justice in connection with the ongoing investigation into the incident, but no murder charges have been announced.

Less than a week after Mr. Edwards was killed, St. Vincent and the Grenadines native Jahkeem Christopher was shot to death on Feb. 12 near the House of Assembly building in Road Town, police said.

In connection with Mr. Christopher’s death, Greenland resident Hasani Frett has been charged with the murder, inflicting grievous bodily harm, and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, police said.

The day after Mr. Christopher’s death, the NSC green-lighted a proposal to offer a $20,000 reward for information leading to the successful prosecution of the perpetrators of the two killings.