Shooting Scene (Photo Credit: Bloody Breaking News)
The owner of Charlie’s gas station was murdered outside his Ottos home Friday night, sending waves of grief through the community that knew him simply as “Charlie.”
George Barnes, who operated the service station along Sir Sydney Walling Highway for years, was fatally wounded when gunmen opened fire on him around 10 pm, striking him in the chest.
The killers fled the scene by car immediately after the shooting.
Charlie’s Service Station (Photo by Dwaine Looby)
Police have launched an investigation into Barnes’ murder. The Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda is appealing to the public for assistance, urging anyone with information to contact the Criminal Investigations Department at 462-3913.
Barnes was widely regarded as a pillar of the business community. For decades, his gas station served thousands of motorists and earned him the respect of colleagues, employees, and customers alike.
His sudden and violent death has left many reeling. Residents described him as a hardworking and approachable businessman whose presence was a fixture in daily life.
OMG. Are you serious?. This is a major blow to the business community. RIP Chap
😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭. I am not ok
This is so so so 😔 RIP Charlie 🙏🏾♥..pray camera’s around gathered something ..Condolences to the family..
Wicked wicked wicked people. God don’t sleep
Why these people are so wicked but God is going to deal with them look work to do the man work and you want what the man work for and still kill him for it wait till some of you start get payback cause it’s a bitch cowards my condolences to the family rip Charlie
Was it a robbery that turned bitter? I can’t stand to see how people are just dropping like flies lately! You kill a man to gain what? A time in jail or to live with regrets? Rip Charlie
Oh wow. Another successful person killed in cold blood. I hope they find a suspect
I will also add that it seems as if in ANtigua…gunmen are walking around with no regard for human life. That has to stop. We need stronger laws, tougher enforcement, and more community support to keep our island safe
I grew up seeing Charlie at that gas station. He treated his workers like family, and he always helped people in need. I can’t understand why anyone would want to hurt him.
Not surprised,every kid on the block has a gun license when there’s no need for them to own a gun,also what I’ve noticed is police officers carrying home their weapons,I find that very disturbing
Charlie was more than just the man who owned a gas station he was part of our everyday life. If you passed through the pumps, he’d wave, he’d smile, sometimes even crack a joke. To lose him like this… it’s heartbreaking
RIP. At your age we would have prayed you died of old age surrounded by your family and friends. Not like that. Justice will repair. RIP Charlie
If people like Charlie, who dedicated his life to honest work, are not safe, then none of us are. We must rise as one people and say ‘enough is enough.’ Antigua cannot be held hostage by crime
He was the kind of man who gave back quietly. If somebody was short of a dollar or two, Charlie would still let them get gas. That’s the kind of person he was compassionate and generous
We feel lost. His death isn’t just a blow to his family, it’s a blow to the whole community. Charlie represented hard work, honesty, and humility. We’re all mourning
These acts of violence are tearing apart the very fabric of our society. Antigua was once a place where you could leave your doors open and feel safe. Now, people are being gunned down outside their own homes. This cannot continue
It’s getting from bad to worse here. Things are getting out of hand. Lord help us.
This is heartbreaking. Condolences to his family and loved ones. Nobody deserves to go like this.
Every time a life is taken like this, we lose a piece of our island’s peace. We have to unite, strengthen our communities, and send a clear message that violence has no place in Antigua and Barbuda