Caribbean Mass Shootings – The New Pandemic

The last few years has witnessed an upsurge in mass shooting events across the Caribbean. This is especially true in the British Overseas Territories, leaving police baffled and resources stretched or shared.

The most recent mass killing took place at a bar in the Turks and Caicos Islands last month. In this tragic event, three persons were killed and ten injured. The UK has responded by deploying Cayman policemen and a helicopter. This is to help battle a crime wave long in the making.

The Cayman Islands also felt the heat when seven persons were shot last year in a football stadium. This occurred during a match held in the new Premier’s constituency.

Single Shooting Events

This is a clear regional issue with similar high casualty single shooting events recently as follows:

• Five killed Trinidad December 2024
• Eight killed nine injured Jamaica 2024
• Four killed eight injured Trinidad May 2024
• Five killed Trinidad March 2024
• Four killed Trinidad March 2024
• Five killed St.Vincent and the Grenadines 2023
• One killed five wounded Cayman Islands 2021

While not a complete list, this assessment provides a clear indication of a trend. This trend seems to have no end in the Caribbean as the authorities struggle for a realistic answer.

Jamaica, Trinidad and now Turks and Caicos Island have grabbed for states of emergency and security zones. They do this like a drowning man reaching for a straw, with the same result.

Stadium Shooting

The then minister, now Premier of the Cayman Islands, was publicly asked several questions after the stadium shooting. Some of these questions will resonate in every Caribbean country.

• Does the Minister acknowledge that finding the stadium shooter and spending the CI$250,000 reward will not stop gang violence in the Cayman Islands?
• Will the Minister disclose his intervention programs for at risk youth in his constituency?
• Will the Minister disclose his intervention programs for at risk re-offenders?
• Will the Minister disclose his economic and entrepreneurial programs for youth, at-risk youth, and re-offenders in his constituency?
• Will the Minister disclose the number of community officers and budget deployed by him for youth? This includes at-risk youth and re-offenders in his constituency?

Silence.

The Cayman shooters in full view of a stadium of people have never been arrested.

While people blissfully commute from their gated enclaves in the high-end parts of the Caribbean, they remain consciously unaware. They are often unaware of the realities of their poorer communities and overfilled prisons. Then, this lethal pandemic will be like the advertisement.

Coming to you soon.