CASTRIES, St Lucia (CMC):

St Lucia police were Monday investigating the execution-style death of three men, including two brothers, who were shot while they slept in a house at Anse La Raye, west of the capital.

Assistant Police Commissioner in charge of crime, Vernon Francois, said the men were among five persons who were sleeping in the house when the gunmen stormed the building during the early hours of yesterday morning.

He said those killed include brothers Marcus and Dwayne James, aged 28 and 26 respectively, and Elias Justin, 23. A fourth person, Kaycee Jules, was in critical condition in hospital, while the fifth man, Gervan Darier, escaped unharmed.

Francois said that the victims of the shooting were known to the police and were the subject of a number of high profile cases currently under investigation.

The killings have brought the number of murders here so far this year to 25.