Woman urges action on mental illness after brother, 70, nearly hacked to death in Barrouallie 

By Admin. Updated 10:53 a.m., Tuesday, July 21, 2026, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4). 

A Barrouallie woman is calling on the authorities to strengthen the care and management of people with serious mental illness living on the streets after her 70-year-old brother narrowly survived a brutal chopping attack that has left the community shaken.

Patrick Roberts remains hospitalised after he was repeatedly chopped while walking through the Barrouallie park on the morning of Saturday, July 18.

Speaking exclusively to One News SVG from the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital on Monday, Roberts recalled the terrifying ordeal, saying he had been heading towards the fishing bay when he stopped briefly to urinate.

He said he noticed a man approaching from behind and questioned why he was being followed.

“I said to him, ‘Why are you following me?’ After I got scared, I tried to move off fast. Then I started to feel somebody chopping me,” Roberts recounted.

“I said, ‘We didn’t do anything. Why do you want to kill me?’ But he kept chopping me.”

Roberts, whose face bears numerous stitches, said he has never had an altercation with anyone and does not know why he was targeted. He told One News SVG the attacker appeared to be younger than him.

Standing beside her brother’s hospital bed, his sister, Weena Roberts, described him as a humble and peaceful man who had spent most of his working life in Canouan before retiring in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“He’s a humble guy. He never gets himself into trouble or anything like that. The whole of Barrouallie is crying,” she said.

Ms Roberts stressed that her family is awaiting the outcome of the police investigation before drawing conclusions about the identity of the attacker.

“We are not quite sure. We have to wait on the police investigation and proper evidence. The police don’t want to arrest the wrong person. We have to make sure they get the right investigation,” she said.

However, she expressed concern over reports that the suspect may have mental health issues and urged the Government to provide more appropriate care for people who are vulnerable and may pose a danger to themselves or others.

“It’s too long now that this has been happening,” she said.

“There are people who are deemed to be mentally ill, vagrants and wandering the streets, and they are harming other people, and nobody is taking any steps towards it. I’m calling on those in authority to find an institution for those people.

“Not only the Mental Health Centre, but some form of rehabilitation or proper facility, because my brother could have lost his life.”

Describing the extent of his injuries, Ms Roberts said doctors had to stitch wounds both externally and internally.

“You can’t count the stitches. Look at his face. They even had to call in a doctor to stitch him inside out,” she said.

She added that Roberts’ glasses were smashed during the attack and believes they may have prevented even more devastating facial injuries.

“Maybe if his glasses weren’t there, they would have chopped off his nose,” she said.

Ms Roberts also said she has heard of other violent incidents in the Barrouallie area, including another man who was reportedly attacked with a broken bottle on the same Saturday morning.

The attack on Patrick Roberts comes amid ongoing public concern about violent incidents involving people believed to be experiencing serious mental illness.

In April 2026, a pastor’s wife was fatally attacked in Diamond in a case in which police alleged the suspect had mental health challenges. That incident prompted renewed public discussion about mental health care, public safety and the need for early intervention.

The Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force is continuing its investigation into the attack on Roberts and is urging anyone with information that could assist the investigation to come forward.

At the time of publishing this article, there were no official reports of any arrests being made in connection with the incident.

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