St Vincent Shooting Kills Four; Government Weighs Calling Regional Troops
ST VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES · SECURITY
Key Facts
- —The country St Vincent and the Grenadines is an eastern Caribbean nation of about 110,000 people. Its Grenadine islands, such as Mustique and Canouan, draw luxury tourism.
- —The background Police have recorded 37 murders so far in 2026, roughly one for every 3,000 residents. The last deadlier shooting, in July 2023, killed five people in Kingstown.
- —Why now On the night of Friday, 25 September, a shooting killed four people and wounded four at Green Hill, just outside the capital, Kingstown.
- —What happened On 30 September Prime Minister Godwin Friday promised “a comprehensive plan to deal with crime and violence”. His security minister said he would ask Barbados for soldiers if needed.
- —Who is who Friday’s New Democratic Party took office after the November 2025 election. He is also defending his seat in a High Court case over his Canadian citizenship.
- —What it means for you Tourism officials set up a team to limit damage to the islands’ image. The government says visitors remain welcome.
- —Still open No arrests had been reported by 28 September. Final submissions in the citizenship case are due in November, before the judge rules.
A St Vincent shooting that killed four and wounded four at Green Hill has led the government to promise a crime plan. Prime Minister Godwin Friday called the attack “heartbreaking” on NBC Radio on Wednesday, 30 September 2026.
His deputy said he would ask regional partners for soldiers if needed. On Thursday, 1 October, Friday also dismissed a court challenge to his seat as “sour grapes and sore losers”.
What happened at Green Hill
The shooting happened late on Friday, 25 September, in Green Hill, a community just outside Kingstown. “On arrival, officers discovered two bodies lying on the public road,” the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force said.
Another victim was found inside a parked vehicle and a fourth on nearby land, the police statement said. Three of the dead were from Green Hill and one from Paul’s Avenue in Kingstown, iWitness News reported.
The injured included a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old student. Two of the wounded were treated and discharged and two remained in hospital on Sunday, Global News reported.
Police recovered 40 shell casings, Deputy Prime Minister St Clair Leacock said.
“Violence has no part in our society,” said acting police commissioner Trevor Bailey. Police were also checking whether another killing on Saturday was linked.
The government’s response
Friday told NBC Radio the government was “putting in place a comprehensive plan to deal with crime and violence, especially violent crimes”. He listed immediate security in affected areas, the root causes of youth violence and the flow of illegal guns into the region.
Leacock, who is also national security minister, went further on NICE Radio.
He said he would ask Barbados, through the Regional Security System, for “soldiers from the Barbados Defence Force” if he had to. “I’ll do it,” he said.
The Regional Security System is a defence pact among eastern Caribbean states.
Leacock also cited more than 120 new police recruits and a rapid-response unit. Two extra coast guard vessels and FBI help with forensics are part of the plan.
“You can’t arrest yourself out of criminal behaviour,” he added, calling on churches, families and schools to play a part.
Worries about tourism
The killings made international news, including on CNN and the BBC. “We have had some very bad press, very terrible international headlines,” Leacock said.
Tourism Minister Kishore Shallow set up a “damage control team”, iWitness News reported. It is led by Shafia London, head of the tourism authority.
Opposition leader Ralph Gonsalves rejected claims that his Unity Labour Party had fuelled the foreign coverage. His party governed for 24 years until its defeat in 2025.
The prime minister in court
Separately, Friday and Foreign Minister Fitzgerald Bramble were cross-examined in the High Court in Kingstown on 29 September, before Justice Gertel Thom. The petitions were filed by Carlos Williams and Luke Browne, Unity Labour Party candidates defeated in the 2025 election.
They argue that both men were disqualified from running under Section 26 of the constitution because they also hold Canadian citizenship.
Outside the court on Thursday, 1 October, Friday backed his lawyer Anand Ramlogan, who called the petitions “disingenuous”. “And I would add sour grapes and sore losers,” Friday said, iWitness News reported.
What comes next
Police have asked anyone with video, photographs or information to come forward. In the petition case, “we have to do the submissions in November, and then the judge … [will] … make her decision,” Friday said.
A mass shooting of this scale remains rare in St Vincent: the last comparable attack was more than three years ago. Even a ruling against Friday and Bramble would not end the NDP’s majority: it holds 14 of the 15 elected seats.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Green Hill in St Vincent?
Green Hill is a residential community just outside Kingstown, the capital of St Vincent and the Grenadines, on the main island of St Vincent.
Is it safe to visit St Vincent and the Grenadines?
The government says visitors remain welcome and has set up a team to reassure travellers. The Green Hill shooting took place in a residential area outside Kingstown; travellers should follow their own government’s current advice.
What is the Regional Security System?
It is a defence and security pact among eastern Caribbean states that lets members share troops and police. St Vincent’s security minister said he would ask Barbados for soldiers through it if needed.
Why is the prime minister in court?
Two defeated opposition candidates argue that Prime Minister Godwin Friday and Foreign Minister Fitzgerald Bramble were disqualified from running in 2025 because they also hold Canadian citizenship. Final submissions are due in November; the High Court has not yet ruled.
Sources: iWitness News, PM outlines broad response to Green Hill shooting, 30 September 2026, iWitness News, Regional help considered as Leacock vows tougher response to violence, 30 September 2026, iWitness News, SVG moves to contain tourism fallout from mass shooting, 29 September 2026, iWitness News, Gonsalves rejects claim ULP operatives fueled international coverage, 29 September 2026, iWitness News, PM, Bramble cross-examined over dual citizenship, 30 September 2026, iWitness News, Election petition is ‘sour grapes and sore losers,’ PM Friday says, 2 October 2026, Global News, St. Vincent and the Grenadines shooting, 28 September 2026. All retrieved 2 October 2026.
Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief · Editorial standards · Report an error
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