When shots rang out in the Rose Place community of Kingstown sometime after 12 am January 1, 2023, persons may have thought it was fireworks to ring in the New Year.

But that was not the case.

When the noise died down, Ottley Hall/ Layou resident Seage John lay dead from gunshot wounds inflicted by law enforcement officers.

John, a past student of the Intermediate High School (IHS) and in his early twenties is alleged to have shot at police officers.

John has gone down in history as the first person to die here violently in 2023, just a few minutes into the New Year.

There are also different accounts of what happened during the incident.

Some persons who knew John described the youngster as a “hot head” who was known by law enforcement.

The shooting is receiving a lot of discussion on social  media with persons wondering if that death will set the trend for the New Year, this country having just come out of the bloodiest year ever with 42 recorded homicides, the closest being 40 in 2016.