Fireman killed in Saba shooting

A shooting in Saba just before 9:00pm Friday has claimed the life of a local fireman. Po­lice arrested two suspects a little more than an hour later.

The victim is Sheldon Johnson, who would have celebrated his 33rd birthday today, Monday.

According to the Caribbean Netherlands Police Force KPCN, the deceased was shot in the vil­lage of Hell’s Gate and was taken to the hospital by ambulance. He was pronounced dead shortly af­ter.

Surveillance camera footage from a neighbouring house captured four gunshots, fol­lowed closely by a man run­ning down the road.

Police arrested two peo­ple that night, and a coast guard vessel took one of them to St. Eustatius early Saturday.

Mobile phone videos tak­en at Saba’s harbour, which are circulating on social media, depicted a hand­ful of angry men cursing and hurling threats as law enforcement officers were transferring one of the sus­pects to the waiting coast guard boat.

At least two of the group were Johnson’s colleagues at the Caribbean Neth­erlands Fire Department BKCN.

Johnson’s murder has deeply shocked the small island community, where killings happen once ev­ery several decades. Saba’s previous homicide, a case of strangling, occurred in 2015, while the last fatal shooting took place in 1989. At least three firefighters from St. Eustatius came to Saba on Saturday to aug­ment the latter’s branch as they mourn the loss of their colleague.

KPCN has appealed for anyone with information about the crime to come forward. To do so, persons can call 911 or the police’s anonymous tip line 9310.

Reports indicate that the victim and the suspected shooter were on opposing sides of a public brawl that occurred earlier this year in The Bottom. Police have not confirmed whether this fight, which involved mul­tiple people, is linked to Friday’s shooting.

The Daily Herald.