By Kenville Horne
A key witness in an attempted murder case was gunned down last Wednesday.
According to a police report, Cyprian ‘Secret’ Mack, 54, of Chester Cottage was found lying in his yard with what appeared to be a gunshot wound to his head. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police said that the motive for the killing is unknown and their investigations are ongoing.
Mack was a key witness in the case in which his nephew- Istah Mack was shot four times about his body at Chester Cottage, on Boxing Day 2021. Keri Phillips, a Vincentian enlisted in the British Army at the time, was charged with attempted murder following the incident.
The deceased was one of five key witnesses called by Prosecutor Station Sergeant of Police Renrick Cato at the preliminary inquiry.
The Mack family has been attacked on multiple occasions. Following his shooting, Istah had said that he believed the shooting was yet another attempt by the Soowoo Crew’, a group that operates in the area, to exact revenge for the May 23, 2015 killing in Byera of Ronique Phillips, a 20-year-old bartender of Chester Cottage. One of Mack’s nephews was charged in connection with that killing but was acquitted. Since then the Mack family has the target of numerous attack.
Concerning last year’s shooting, Istah said that he had gone to visit his mother in another section of Chester Cottage sometime after 8pm Sunday night. He was sitting at her gate when he saw two men, including one who he alleged procured guns for members of the crew. He said that sometime later a third man joined the duo at a house and the three men were speaking but two of the men left, leaving the other behind.
Istah said he heard the man say, “That’s the way it is” and then gunshots rang out. He was shot once in the back, twice in the right hand, and once in the right leg around 8:20 pm. He was taken to the Georgetown Hospital where he was treated and discharged on Monday morning. It was the second time that Mack was shot, having come under a gun attack in the community on April 6, 2017. Then, on Aug. 5, 2017, Mack’s brother, Zeno, was shot in the chest outside his home, an injury he survived. Some hours later, the Mack brother’s nephew came under gunfire outside the house, but escaped unscathed.
The family has long called for the authorities to do something about the situation but the attacks continued as seen with the death of Cyprian.
Inesha Mack, the niece of Cyprian, commenting on the death of her uncle said that the justice system has failed them. “You see that devil shot your nephew and because you are the main witness in the case, they take you out, but God nah sleep. To my brother Istah Mack, watch your back because they will try take you out for good this time. RIP Uncle Secret,” said the grieving niece.
She further noted that with all that is taking place with her family, the people of Chester Cottage tend to keep quiet. “A lot of people is scared to talk out because they will be the next target. What have my family done to be going through all this?” Inesha questioned.