Residents of Laborie are grappling with shock and grief following the fatal shooting of 41-year-old Shaki Laurent, who was gunned down just meters from his home in the early hours of the morning of April 8th, 2026.
The incident has shaken the usually quiet southern community, with family members and neighbors struggling to come to terms with the sudden loss.
An aunt of the deceased recounted the harrowing moment she learned of the shooting.
“Around 6.30 my neighbor came and said we heard something, so they came through the bush coming towards my house,” she said. “I looked through the window, and I asked what happened, and he said, ‘Look, Shaki is on the ground, they shot him.’ That was it for me.”
The killing has left residents deeply unsettled, particularly given Laborie’s reputation as a peaceful area.
“I keep telling people Laborie is one of the safest communities. We do not hear these things from Laborie,” the relative added. “So, it is a shock to us hearing that.”
The circumstances surrounding the shooting remain unclear, and residents are now left searching for answers as authorities continue their investigations.
The latest homicide adds to growing national concern over violent crime, even in communities once considered among the safest on the island.