Murder baffles new Lowmans Bay community

Just seven months after moving into their new village at Lowman’s Bay, former residents of the Rose Place seafront are unsettled by a murder in their community. Rohan Rawlins, 43, also known as “Charla”, of Owia, was shot and killed in the community around 11:30 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 15. Rawlins, a fisherman, was originally from Greiggs but had been living in Owia -- his girlfriend’s home village.   He was gunned down in the patio of a duplex in the Lowman’s Bay community and the killing has left even the homeowner confused. On Monday, after police had processed the scene and removed Rawlins body, Yashima ‘Diver’ Fitzpatrick, the homeowner was left to scrub Rawlins’ blood from his patio. Fitzpatrick, a fisherman, agreed to an audio interview, but did not want to be filmed. At the scene, children and teens who said they saw the shooting, recounted to each other how a man, wearing what they described as an “ugly mask”, had walked up an embankment and sneaked up on Rawlins before firing about five shots in his direction. They pointed out a muddy footprint that the assailant allegedly left on the walkway near the eave of the house. The minors said that the assailant used the wall of the house as a shield and extended his arm and fired at Rawlins before fleeing the area on foot. It appeared that Rawlins drove himself to the area in motor vehicle, PH881, a blue Suzuki SUV, which is said to belong to him. There was a blue jerry can, of the type that fishers often use to store fuel, near to the vehicle. Meanwhile, residents of the community said that the authorities should install surveillance cameras of the type erected at other places across the country. They said that this might help to deter similar crimes in their community. Rawlins’ death brings to 27 the number of homicides in St. Vincent and the Grenadines this year. It comes just four days after Jeran Deroche, of Frenches, was killed and three others were left nursing gunshot injuries after a shooting at a karaoke event in Arnos Vale last Thursday, August 11. Kenton Chance… iWitness News… Lowmans Bay … St. Vincent…