Man dies after fight in Bridge channel

MARIGOT–The Gendarmerie is investigating the exact cause of death of a man who was involved in a fight with another man where both ended up in the water at the Sandy Ground Bridge channel early Saturday morning.

The victim’s suspected assailant who had no intention of escaping the scene was detained on the spot by Gendarmes after the altercation. Preliminary indications are that the victim died from machete wounds.

Commandant Paul Betaille confirmed a man suspected of the homicide was taken into custody.

The drama began around 7:45am when loud voices were heard from two men in a heated argument on the bay side of the bridge channel, near the Spago Restaurant. According to witnesses one of the men dived in the water, presumably to get to the other side to escape from his attacker. But the other man followed him into the water and the two began fighting.

As one of the men surfaced, presumably the victim, he was repeatedly punched in the head. Unconfirmed reports suggested one of the men had a machete or a knife and it appeared one of the two was slashed or stabbed from the blood seen in the water.

A crewman from a boat that was about to enter the lagoon attempted twice to separate the two men with a gaff but backed off after fears the boat’s propeller could get dangerously close to the men.

The body of the victim was later retrieved from the water while divers on Sunday searched for further evidence.

Gendarmerie and emergency services responded to the crime scene. This was the fifth homicide on the French side since the start of the year.

from the herald