East Tennessee native killed in Turks and Caicos, reports say

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - An East Tennessee native was killed in a “targeted attack” while in the Turks and Caicos Islands over the weekend, according to multiple reports.

The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Chief of Police Trevor Botting said three people were killed, one being a tourist from the United States, and five others were injured in a string of attacks in the area.

Although not named in the police statement, the Washington Post and CBS News identified the man as Kent Carter, who grew up in the Knoxville area. He was reportedly killed while being transported back to his hotel after an excursion on Sunday, Oct. 2.

The Washington Post stated that when attacked, Carter and his girlfriend were in the area celebrating his 40th birthday. Botting noted that “armed criminals” in a vehicle began to “indiscriminately shoot” into the car transporting staff from a local business and two tourists around 6:00 p.m.

Police do not believe Carter was targeted specifically, according to reports.

“As a result of this attack, two persons were murdered, one from the local business and the other being a tourist from the United States,” Botting stated. “Our deepest condolences go out to the families of those murdered.”

Most recently, he lived in Northern Virginia and was a real estate agent, according to his LinkedIn and Realtor.com profile. Carter was also the chair of the Arlington NAACP’s criminal justice committee, according to The Washington Post. The organization made a statement on Facebook about Carter’s death:

Police officials found the suspected attackers and exchanged gunfire with them, resulting in one of their officers being seriously injured, according to Botting. While the “criminals” vehicle got away, police said an unidentified body found is believed to be one of the suspected attackers shot during the exchange.

Botting stated that he believed “the original attack was targeted and carried out by armed gang members who act without conscience, who have no regard for life, and who are hell-bent on causing indiscriminate harm and misery across the TCI. This violence is linked to drugs supply and is fueled by revenge, turf wars and retribution.”

Additional information has not been released at this time.

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