One hospitalized, two charged after brazen daylight shooting in Kingstown

A brazen daylight shooting disrupted the usual activity of Kingstown on Tuesday after gunmen opened fire on a male.

On Tuesday, March 1, 2025 Diamond resident, 26 year old Michael Richards was reportedly accosted by two men while on the compound of a restaurant located in Richmond Hill in the vicinity of the bus stop near to the Girls’ High School (GHS).

The shooting occurred around 1:30 p.m, at a time when the area was heavy with foot and vehicular traffic.

Richards was shot multiple times with a video circulating on social media showing him lying on the compound of the food establishment bleeding, but conscious and talking to onlookers. Scores of onlookers, some of whom included school-aged children, crowded around the shooting scene. Some tried to render assistance to the injured man. He was later transported to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH) where, up to the time of going to press, he remained hospitalized in stable but critical condition.

On Tuesday, April 1, police confirmed that two suspects were apprehended shortly after the shooting and investigators were also able to recover materials used by the suspects in the commission of the shooting, including the two firearms.

The suspects are Laurent Isidore, a 26 year old labourer of St. Lucia/Gibson Corner, and Keon Hackshaw, a 17 year old labourer of Ottley Hall. They were jointly charged with attempted murder. The two were separately charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm with intent to commit the offence of murder, and the unlawful use of a firearm.

Both accused men appeared before the Serious Offences Court on April 3, 2025, and were remanded.

Richards, along with two other youths from Diamond, were, in September 2022 taken before the court on armed robbery charges. He was also charged with wounding in relation to the charge. The young man also has other court matters pending for burglary and theft.