Police probe Wiltons Yard shooting that raised homicide toll to 40
CASTRIES, St Lucia (July 20, 2025) — A pregnant woman, her unborn child, and a male resident were fatally shot during a Wiltons Yard shooting on Thursday night, July 3, pushing St Lucia’s homicide toll to 40 for 2025, authorities confirmed.
The Saint Lucia Fire Service received a distress call at approximately 8:08 p.m. and responded to the scene, where three adult males were discovered with penetrating gunshot wounds near the roadside in the Castries community.
Among them, 42-year-old Ika Jn Baptiste, a resident of Wiltons Yard, was found unresponsive with no vital signs and was pronounced dead at the scene. The other two men were stabilized on-site and transported to hospital, where they remain in stable condition, according to emergency personnel.
Separately, an adult female who had been transported to hospital via private vehicle was later identified as 32-year-old Troya St. Martin, also of Wiltons Yard. St. Martin was reportedly pregnant at the time of the shooting. Despite the efforts of medical staff, both she and her unborn baby succumbed to their injuries in the early hours of Friday, July 4.
The Wiltons Yard shooting has reignited concern over escalating violence in the capital, and marks one of the most deadly incidents in recent months. Just days prior, 24-year-old Kennedy Leon was killed during a shooting spree in Dennery. Read more about that case here.
Police have not released an official motive, but unconfirmed reports suggest the July 3 shooting may have been a retaliatory attack linked to a prior fatal incident involving a young man from the same area.
The Royal Saint Lucia Police Force has launched an active investigation and increased patrols in Wiltons Yard and surrounding neighborhoods in an effort to deter further violence. No arrests have been made, and no suspects have been publicly identified.
Residents say fear of reprisal attacks is mounting, as the community grapples with a long-standing pattern of gang conflict and retaliation-fueled gun violence. Law enforcement is urging anyone with information to come forward to assist with the investigation.
The deaths of Troya St. Martin, her unborn child, and Ika Jn Baptiste have pushed St Lucia’s 2025 homicide tally to 40, sparking renewed calls for urgent national action on public safety and urban crime prevention.
For continued coverage of the Wiltons Yard shooting and developments in St Lucia’s ongoing crime crisis, follow Unitedpac St Lucia News.
