Five killed in mass shooting in St. Vincent

Five people were killed Wednesday in a mass shooting in St. Vincent.

The shooting occurred in Kingtown, the Caribbean island nation’s capital, around 8 p.m. local time according to the St. Vincent Times.

Police told ABC News that a vehicle drove up to a group of people before the occupants started shooting.

One of the victims included a 13-year-old boy.

“Based on the crime scene, an assault weapon appears to have been used,” Police Commissioner Colin John said at a news conference Thursday. “We also received intel about possible reprisals and that is something that we are taking very seriously.”

The Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force said its investigation is ongoing and asked anyone with information to come forward.

The shooting came amidst a spate of violence in St. Vincent and the Grenadines that police have blamed on gangs.

“The serious crimes that are being committed are, by and large, committed by a very small group of people against others of the same ilk,” the RSVG Police said in a release.

“We advised people to settle their differences in a more mature, civilized, and amicable manner. Also, we strongly advocate that people respect each other’s right to life.”

Earlier this month, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with heads of several Caribbean nations in Trinidad to discuss stopping gun violence and reducing murder rates in the region. Caribbean leaders have repeatedly called for the U.S. to crack down on the small-scale trafficking that is flooding their islands with guns.