Man shot dead after fetching water

A 39-year-old man is dead after being shot outside his home while fetching water from a river on October 11.

The dead man has been identified as Sherwin Carter of Blue Basin Road.

According to police, Carter was at his home when, at about 9.25 am he realised there were no water in the pipes.

He told relatives he was going to a nearby river, to fetch a pail of water. The relatives included four children ages 14, 12, nine and four and one female relative.

When he left the house, the female relative told police she heard arguing. She checked CCTV cameras at their house and saw Carter fighting with three men. She ran into the bathroom of the house with the three younger children and locked it. She told the eldest to hide.

Shortly after, she heard a banging on the bathroom door. A man told her to come out with the children or he would kill her son. She complied and the three men tied her and her children’s hands and lined them up next to Carter, who, she told police, appeared to be badly beaten.

The men demanded that they hand over all their cash and they were told about $29,000 in cash which was hidden in a bible. They also relieved the family of jewellery.

As they were leaving Carter and one of the men began arguing and the man shot him three times before escaping. The female relative was able to untie herself and call the police.

Officers from the Western Division responded. Carter was pronounced dead by a district medical officer.

An autopsy is expected to be done at the Forensic Science Complex to confirm the cause of his death.