The incident turned deadly for the alleged perpetrator whom authorities identified as Winston Browne, when he died at the hands of the police while attacking a detective from the Criminal Investigation Department, CID. It was about 7:45am when police received a call indicating that a man had picked up his wife declaring that he was going to kill her.

Commissioner of Police Mr. CG Walwyn told reporters during an emergency press conference at his office at Police Headquarters on Cayon Street, that the Special Forces were quickly deployed especially when authorities realized that there was also a restraining order in place for the couple, since November 2012.

The responding officers immediately began searching for the couple and the vehicle used in the abduction was found in a secluded area and while patrolling on foot and searching the couple were eventually found by the police in CARIFESTA Village.

Upon approaching the man and woman, the police, said Walwyn, identified themselves as officers and the man, Winston Browne, is alleged to have brandished a knife and an ice pick, telling them to “stay back”. “The police stayed back (and) he placed the knife at the throat of the female and in stepping back he also stepped backwards from the police.” The Commissioner said that a family member was present, at the time when this occurred but after much urging and the discharge of a few warning shots, the man released his spouse but not before cutting her in the face area with the knife.

It was at that point explained the Commissioner that Mr. Browne took another hostage; on this occasion, a family member. Again police managed to convince him to release his victim, (the family member). It was from here everything took a rather unusual turn providing police with a new experience that they had never had to deal with before in St. Kitts. “He told the police to kill him,” said Commissioner Walwyn. Browne is said to have told the police to kill him; saying that he did not want to live…and that they need to kill him. Walwyn said the officers refused to carry-out his wishes, and then he released the family member, but then lunged after Detective Watts of the CID. 

He is alleged to have stabbed detective Watts in the right section of the lower thigh area, above the knee. As the detective limped backwards trying to get away from danger, Browne accelerated his movement to the detective with weapons still in his hands. However because the detective was already injured and was in fear of his life the detective discharged his service revolver in the direction of the attacker, and he fell to the ground, dead.

Detective Watts was rushed to hospital by the EMS where he received emergency treatment for his injuries. The decedent, (Browne) was eventually officially pronounced dead on the scene by the medical examiner. Browne’s wife, meanwhile, whose name is being withheld, as a policy when it comes to victims of domestic violence, was treated at the hospital.