The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

A 30-YEAR-OLD Gambier Village resident was found dead early Wednesday morning with multiple stab wounds, prompting grief and shock among loved ones and community members who gathered at the scene.

Police were called to Fernander Road shortly after 7am, where they found the body of Kevin Poitier with lacerations to the upper body. Emergency Medical Services confirmed he showed no signs of life. A man is assisting police with their investigation, though officers declined to provide further details.

As word spread, relatives, neighbours and onlookers filled the narrow street, many openly emotional as they struggled to understand what happened to the young man they described as kind-hearted and hardworking.

A bystander whose wife is related to the victim said the family is devastated.

“He is a good artist and he is a cook, so what lead to this I don’t know. He live right where they found him, him and my younger cousin life right there,” he said.

“Right now, all of them having mixed emotions, first she was extremely depressed finding out. I had to calm her down, but when I get to find out who it was, it leaves me emotionally distorted and I break down crying. I limit my emotions because I have already experienced so much death close to hand but honestly I even shed tears for him because he close to me, but what bother me the most is that Gambier isn’t that type of place, why they turning Gambier into this.

“Gambier ain’t like this, they are turning Gambier like every place else, we had some type of tranquillity, serenity, some type of peace down here but this getting out of control. Everybody know everybody so what lead to something like this. He is a young man bey, he just start living his life.”

He said the loss is especially heavy for his wife. “I am more sorry for my wife because I just lose my brother two years ago and she had to sit down and help me through my own grieving.”

Killarney MP Dr Hubert Minnis, who visited the scene, urged calm and unity.

“We are all one family and the police has responded and we have the greatest respect and confidence in the police,” he said. “I am certain they will get over this and this will help to bring all of us together, support each other, support the family.

“I spoke with the mother and obviously she is distraught and saddened but immediately after Parliament today I will come down and spend more time with the family reassuring them and assisting wherever possible. The community has great respect for the police and we are certain that the police will get to the bottom of this.”

Dr Minnis declined to speak directly about the victim.

“I want to leave all of that for another time,” he said. “Let me speak with the mother first, I spoke briefly with her but I want to talk more to the family first but I am sure someone from the family will speak on behalf of the family.”

Another person at the scene described Mr Poitier as gentle, trusting, and deeply loved.

“Kevin was a sweet individual, and despite whatever anybody say a lot of people could vouch that he was really respectful, helpful and caring person. I felt like his heart was too big at timeS,” she said yesterday at the scene.

“If he is going through something you wouldn’t know because he bottles stuff up and the way they killed him and just left him like nobody’s child, he is a son, someone brother, someone uncle, he is somebody.”

She said their last conversation was just days ago.

“He was happy. He always bubbly and nothing could bring him down easy. Anybody who know him know he is this happy go-getter.”