17-Year-Old among 2 Charged with Attempted Murder in Richmond Hill Shooting 

By Admin. Updated 2:01 p.m., Thursday, April 3, 2025, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).

The Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force has reported that they have arrested and formally charged two individuals in connection with the shooting incident that occurred in the vicinity of the Girls’ High School (GHS) Bus Stop, Richmond Hill, on April 1, 2025.

Laurent Isidore, a 26-year-old labourer of St. Lucia/Gibson Corner, and Keon Hackshaw, a 17-year-old labourer of Ottley Hall, were jointly charged with the offence of attempted murder. The charge alleges that on April 1, 2025, at approximately 1:00 p.m., with intent to commit the offence of murder on Michael Richards, a 26-year-old steel bender of Diamond, they did an act which is more than merely preparatory to the commission of the offence, namely, by shooting him about the body with a firearm.

In addition to the joint charge, each accused was separately charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm with intent to commit the offence of murder and the unlawful use of a firearm. Police officers apprehended the accused shortly after the commission of the offence and recovered two firearms, one from each accused.

Both accused men appeared before the Serious Offences Court on April 3, 2025, and were remanded into custody. They are scheduled to reappear before the court on April 10, 2025, for arraignment. Due to the indictable nature of the offences, they will not be required to plea at that stage.

The victim, Michael Richards, is reported to be in critical condition at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital and remains under observation. Investigations into the matter are ongoing.

In our jurisprudence, an individual charged with committing a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.