It's only a matter of time before someone is killed
Font size: [A] [A] [A]
I was having a fabulous night, dining at one of my favorite restaurants, looking forward to the New Year. Festivities all around, people eager for the countdown to midnight, champagne toasts - and then it happened:
We heard gunfire, all around us. This was the fourth year in a row I was at that location, and I've never heard so many guns and rounds of ammunition go off. It's quite obvious that the guns allowed and smuggled into the territory are at a crisis level.
While many people think it's "fun, and part of the island tradition," shooting semi automatic weapons and various guns into the air is not everyone's idea of a good time.
The first year I lived here, we'd hear it while ringing in the midnight hour, and it was a cause for concern. We got in our cars and scurried home while some people laughed and thought it was funny. This year, I was downright frightened by it. It made people stop and think and turned their moods from festive to "what has happened."
It's obvious nothing is being done to prevent these weapons, and in particular, the abundance of semiautomatics, which were very evident.
It's time to take a firm and strong stance; we do not need guns on the island. They should be illegal and if you are caught, you are fined severely and jail time is mandatory.
I felt bad for the tourists I saw getting into a taxi while we were going out to our car. They looked very concerned and were not used to the barrage of gunfire all around them.
Next year, I will not be spending New Year's Eve on the island, listening to semi automatic weapons being fired. It's just a matter of time before people are killed.
- Gene Robinson, St. Thomas
To comment you must first create a profile and sign-in with a verified DISQUS account or social network ID. Sign up here.
Comments in violation of the rules will be denied, and repeat violators will be banned. Please help police the community by flagging offensive comments for our moderators to review. By posting a comment, you agree to our full terms and conditions. Click here to read terms and conditions.
