Construction Worker Fatally Stabbed in Independence Village

Tragedy struck Independence Village on Thursday night when a construction worker was fatally stabbed during a confrontation with another man. The victim, Selvin Humes, was known to his family as a peaceful person, so they were devastated and shocked by the news of his violent death. The incident occurred on Toucan Street, right in front of a local business. News Five’s Marion Ali covered the heartbreaking story in her report.

 

Jeremy Garbutt, Cousin of Selvin Humes

“My auntie call me and da right deh I get the news, then I, hmm. By the time I get down ya, dehn she the body done gone da Griga. I mi really want see the man body and all ah that, never did.”

 

Marion Ali, Reporting

The family of twenty-eight-year-old Selvin Humes is reeling from shock and grief as they prepare for his funeral. On Thursday night, Humes, a construction worker, was involved in an altercation with another man just before nine. His cousin, Jeremy Garbutt, shared with News Five that Selvin had been living with his mom. Their work schedules often kept them apart, so Jeremy only saw him occasionally while commuting to and from his job site.

 

Jeremy Garbutt

“I mi deh da Dangriga di work and he mi deh with my mom when I mi deh da Dangriga, he mi di tek care ah my mom fi the meanwhile. He mi di work construction with a contract fi my uncle. I mi di see my cousin here and there, I see he eena the pickup. He wudda she bwai cuz yoh arite. I wudda she yeah cuz, I good, I gwein da work.”

 

Humes’ aunt, Ileonie King, shared with News Five that Humes moved out of her house about three weeks ago, after having stayed with her for many years. When he did, she grew concerned because she hardly saw him.

 

Ileonie King, Aunt of Selvin Humes

“Ih mi deh wa good while with we but sudden one ih pick up ihself and gone and ih seh auntie ah gwein live with mi ma. Fi the longest I neva see he, wa good lee while, from the time ih lef from ya. From last month he left from ya till today I hear bout ah. Ih sad fi know  ih gone da kinda way deh.”

 

Humes was stabbed in the throat and died the same night at the Independence Polyclinic. Police have detained the suspect pending investigations. The tragic incident has left the villagers who knew Humes in a state of shock, as shared by Independence Chairman, Clifton Garbutt.

 

Via phone: Clifton Garbutt, Chairman, Independence Village

“He’s a young man who has made this village his home. It’s shocking and unsettling in a community where we are familiar with one another. These acts of violence disrupt our peaceful atmosphere. And listening to villagers this morning, there was a sense of disbelief and in my discussion this morning with the police, the young man they have in custody is someone I an personally familiar with since he worked with the council for over a year.”

 

Humes’s relatives say he was a man who kept to himself, so the news that he was killed during an altercation has left them with many questions.

 

Jeremy Garbutt

“He nuh wa talk to yoh unless yoh tap he or something cause he distracted wth his headphones eena his own world.”

 

Ileonie King

“Madaz an he da wa cool person and deh just hurt ah like that. What da the problem why dehn hurt ah. If anybody fast wid ah da then he get ignorant because he da wa cool person and he nuh do nothing outta the way fi seh mek people hurt ah da kinda way. That da weh I know he as.”

 

Marion Ali for News Five.