Man stabbed to death trying to part fight among 3 women

- File photo

A 31-year-old man who tried to break up a fight involving three women, was stabbed to death on the night of December 17 in Diego Martin.

He was among two people murdered in separate, unrelated incidents between December 17 and December 18.

The victim has been identified as Stephan Roberts of Agua Santa Avenue, who was pronounced dead at the St James Infirmary at 9.14 pm after sustaining two stab wounds to his back.

The incident unfolded around 8.30 pm when a 21-year-old cashier, also of Agua Santa Avenue, left her workplace at SuperPharm in Diego Martin. She had reportedly finished her shift and was walking across the roadway to Sierre Leone Street when she was confronted by a 24-year-old co-worker and a heated argument took place.

This confrontation was the culmination of an earlier verbal altercation, between the two, at the workplace around 7.30 pm. According to police reports, the 21-year-old had been sent home by a supervisor following the workplace dispute.

On Sierre Leone Street, a physical fight broke out between the two SuperPharm employees and another woman, whose identity is unknown. During the scuffle, the cashier's cell phone fell, and the unknown woman snatched it and refused to return it.

The brawl escalated as the trio fought all the way west along Sierre Leone Street. Eyewitnesses later reported that one of the women pulled out a knife.

At this time, Roberts – who was liming a short distance away and saw what was taking place – tried to intervene and was stabbed twice in his back. Off-duty policeman Constable Browne, of Four Roads Police Station, witnessed the incident and attempted to intervene.

Following his intervention, the alleged stabber and the unknown woman both fled.

Both Roberts and the SuperPharm cashier sustained stab injuries. The cashier was treated for a wound to her right shoulder and later discharged. Roberts was taken by a resident to the St James Infirmary, where he was pronounced dead at 9.14 pm.

Police later found the two women walking along Diego Martin Main Road. Both were found with blood-stained clothing and knives tied around their necks on strings. They were arrested and taken to Four Roads Police Station.

Roberts' body has since been moved to the Forensic Science Centre in St James where an autopsy will be done as part of ongoing investigations.

Driver shot dead

Less than 24 hours later, another violent incident left a 34-year-old man dead in San Juan. Ishiyaho Eshban Williams of Bagatelle Road, a professional driver, was fatally shot in broad daylight on December 18 around 2.20 pm.

First responders on mobile patrol received a report of gunshots fired at Hyde Road, North San Juan. On arrival, they found Williams, clad in a dark blue jersey and blue-and-white track pants and barefoot, lying on the road bleeding from multiple gunshot wounds.

He was taken to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mt Hope where he succumbed to his injuries around 2.25 pm. He was shot in the head, chest, and abdomen.

Crime Scene Investigators recovered several items of evidential value including 15 spent 9mm shells and one live round.

Reports say Williams had been driving a black Nissan Note north along Hyde Road, when a silver Nissan AD Wagon began following him. On reaching the dead end of Hyde Road, Williams stopped his vehicle, got out and tried to flee.

A gunman got out of the wagon, followed Williams and shot him multiple times. Reports say the shooter stood over Williams who had collapsed on the road and continued firing before running back to the car which sped off. Investigations are ongoing.