Gang violence moved from West Bay to George Town on Monday night when teenager Jason Christian became the fourth fatal shooting victim of the week.
A second victim, 22-year-old Keith Montique, was also shot but survived.
Police Chief Superintendent John Jones described how a police patrol officer had been answering an unrelated incident around 9.30pm Monday in Birchwood Drive, off Crewe Road, when an obviously injured Mr. Montique staggered up to the police car and opened the door, saying he had just been shot.
As the officer was transporting the gunshot victim, who had been shot four times, to the Cayman Islands Hospital, the wounded man told him his friend had also been shot and was still in nearby Cranbrook Drive.
When police went to Cranbrook Drive, they found 18-year-old Jason Christian in the driver’s seat of a white Toyota LiteAce van. He had suffered a gunshot wound to the head. Mr. Jones said he was “barely alive” when police arrived, but died very shortly afterwards and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Mr. Jones described Monday night’s killing, and three earlier fatal shootings in West Bay, as “assassinations”. All four victims who have been killed this week were shot in the head.
Mr. Montique underwent emergency surgery at the Cayman Islands Hospital on Monday night and was airlifted off island for further medical treatment Tuesday. He had also been shot in the head, receiving an injury to his ear.
Medical staff at the hospital described his condition as “serious, but stable”.
Police said no suspects were found at the scene in Cranbrook Drive, but officers recovered a loaded revolver inside the van. It had not been fired.
At least 10 spent shells have been found at the scene of the killing. Police said Monday night’s shooting may be related to the three killings in West Bay, but said it was too early to say definitively if that was the case. “There are connections between the individuals who were victims of this shooting and with certain people affiliated to gangs or groups in the West Bay area,” Mr. Jones said. “Given the timing, so close to the other three shootings that we’ve had, we think there is a strong possibility that it may be connected.” Preston Rivers, 18, was shot dead near Thatch Palm Villas on Andersen Road in West Bay about 10.30pm Saturday. On Thursday, Andrew Anthony Baptist, 24, was gunned down shortly before 9pm Thursday in a yard of a house on Sand Hole Road in West Bay. Two days earlier, Robert Macford Bush, 28, was shot in the head as he sat in his car on Captains Joe and Osbert Road on Tuesday night.
“To have four murders in such a short period of time is unprecedented for the Cayman Islands,” Mr. Jones said.
Crimestoppers has offered a $50,000 reward for information on these killings and other robberies and gun-related crimes seen in Cayman recently.
He said Mr. Montique had told police that he and Mr. Christian had gone into Cranbook Drive to visit a premises there, but when they got there, the person they were looking for was not there. “After that, it would appear that a gunman approached from bush and fired several shots at Mr. Montique and his friend, who attempted to drive away,” Mr. Jones said.
Police said the white van at the scene had featured in their investigations into an armed robbery at Tortuga Liquor Store in Pasadora Place on Thursday, 15 September. “Whilst that vehicle was not seen to be used by the suspects in that robbery, it did feature in a line of inquiry,” Mr. Jones said.
The shootings in George Town Monday occurred just hours after Commissioner of Police David Baines said gang members who they were seeking in West Bay had moved out of areas they usually frequented.
Police continue to appeal to the public to give them information relating to the shootings, but also to let them know who has weapons in their possession and if further attacks are planned. Mr. Jones said police were rounding up known members of gangs. They mounted an operation on Monday afternoon to target those who they suspect are involved in gangs and have arrested four people in connection with gang affiliation.
A further two people also remain in custody who were arrested in connection with the West Bay murders. A third person who had been arrested in connection with the killings has been released.
Detective Superintendent Marlon Bodden said he was angered that people were now sending police photographs that had appeared on social media like Facebook, of victims of the killings holding firearms.
“We are inundated now with various photographs, various emails, various bits of information extracted from social media, pictures of individuals holding guns. Now, if we had this information before that, I’m very certain we could make some interventions and saved some lives,” Mr. Bodden said.
He said police were pushing for legislation under which they could prosecute people for brandishing firearms in photographs. “We want legislation to be enacted that those individuals prove, the burden of proof is shifted for them to say I was not holding a real firearm… We want to be able to charge them and deal with them because they are the individuals causing the havoc here in the Cayman Islands,” he said.
Anyone with information gun crime in the Cayman Islands should contact their local police station, the RCIPS tip-line 949-7777 or Confidential Stoppers 800-8477 (TIPS).
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And it took police this long to come up with a new term in order to describe murder of these people? I am just thinking like, whats new? in another article you said one of the victims was shot by .38mm which tends to be a revolver round and police so happened to have found one in one of the cars of victims involved in the last shooting as far as i understood. maybe that should set of some bells? Correct me if i am wrong.
This reads like ‘Downtown LA’ not sleepy little Cayman – what on earth is happening? We grow increasingly concerned about the wave of violent crime that is clearly escalating out of control.
The Authorities MUST ACT NOW before it is too late.
Hopefully we can end this horror show but we can’t use a short sighted hasty fix that will come back to bite us. We must get to the root cause of the problem. Bad parenting and neglect is a starting cause that can’t be legislated. Draconian laws won’t help when assassinations are being conducted. They have no fear. Filling up the jails cost more money then we can afford so you see this problem must be well thought out and implemented in increments. Blame shifting is not any help so let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work. Let’s not be reactionary.
If the Police knows the names of these Gang members and are trying to locate them would it not be best to publish the names and pictures of those that are being sought after? It is useless to inform the public that the police are seeking these gang members but fail to indicate who the suspected members are. How could the public be of help when they are not aware of whom is being sought?
Let’s see now 2 of those shot may have been involved in the Tortuga robbery and I hear that all 4 of those murdered just got out of jail in August. Let’s connect the dots!
Things has got worst over the years, in 1981 every one was able to leave their homes open go to work and get back nothing missing until 1993 when Sheila’s plaza was broken into on Goring avenue, thing got worst since then, most of these murders cause by some Jamaicans in the country Cayman is too small for these type of Murders to be happening, I think the government should seek help from outside it’s not hard to corner off all of the Island to catch those responsible, Cayman has helped so many foreigners in particular Jamaican, it a national disgrace for this to be happening. Cayman was such a peaceful country, the Government needs to do something and fast before it get even worst. The same type of things happening in Jamaica has now spill over in the Cayman, disgraceful.
what i can’t understand about this report how can a police patrol car was so closed but fail to heard 10 shots that cause the life of yet another young life how far was birchwood drive from cranbrook drive. we say many thanks to the government for provide these new luxury car to the RCIP am kindly asking these officers who used these patrol car please please pull down your windows their is no way you can hear anything going on on the outside please…read this report coming from chief sup john jones :Police Chief Superintendent John Jones described how a police patrol officer had been answering an unrelated incident around 9.30pm Monday in Birchwood Drive, off Crewe Road, when an obviously injured Mr. Montique staggered up to the police car and opened the door, saying he had just been shot.
please please down go down that road this is not fair to used jamaica in this string of murders yes jamaica have their record but this is very much unfair, this is cayman islands problem this is our problem no one to be blame crime and murders is everywear and we are not in heaven, cayman is not like 35 years ago we the people is the problem we no all these murder’s we are friends/family of all these mens we must stop cover up and hide the facts real murder’s and ganster’s are right here with us and are born caymanian that are very dangerous killer’s we no them. what we need to do is help the police the police can’t be everywear but we the people is all most everywear lets work together to change our island and bring it back to a safe place once more thank you.
It’s all good. Self cleansing. No friendlies harmed. Just like South Florida without the collateral damage. At the end of the day, 4 low life’s out of the equation. There is karma and it’s all good for us hard working folk. Shame on the parents for not showing that working hard is a virtuous path to follow.
Cheers,
S
The Premier vowed in a church service over 2 years ago to change the name’Pirates Week’ and nothing has done up to this point in time. Why are we as people in the Cayman Islands complaining now when what is taking place now is a Spirit of Piracy over the islands. PIRATES MURDER/KILL, STEAL, RAPE AND COMMIT HIDEOUS CRIMES IN THE COMMUNITY. Let’s get real – no amount of increase police patrol, sharing of information from the community to the police will help this situation. Starting from the LA, Police, churches and people in the community we need to cry out to God our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for HIS Mercy and Grace in our time of need. REPENT CAYMAN, REPENT CAYMAN. God help us.
Its glaringly obvious that the RCIPS is waaayyyy in over their heads here…but are too proud to admit it and request professional assistance.
They are ASSUMING that these killings are being done by gang members to each other but have offered absolutely no evidence to back up such assumptions.
The one surviving gunshot victim should be a wealth of information, when he can answer police questioning…his survival is a real break for the RCIPS, if they have what it takes, to take adavantage of it.
Surely he must know who shot him and his friend and also answer questions as to why they, themselves, were in possession of a gun in their vehicle.
If his answers do not confirm a gang vendetta, then the other worrying scenario comes into play, which is…
Have residents in the surrounding neighbourhood heard the gunshots that has killed these men ?
If they haven’t, then the RCIPS have a professional killer, using a silencer, on their hands.
That is an even more frightening scenario for law and order in Cayman.
There are lots of ways policemen can do for this small country..Why not assign most numbers of policemen work at night ,wear civilians clothes and pretend like as civilians, patrol around, sets of policemen in westbay, g.town, eastend, boddentown..every districts as possible! But these policemen should also have protection for themselves..Intruders got guns, so why can’t they? People are leaving because of the down economy, next reason will be because of the unsolve crimes in cayman…The Devil is not sleeping, God have mercy and save this country…The government should not wait until this country sinks.
RCIP need the help of the community in most investigations, but only a few of us in the community have relevant information to pass on to them regarding a specific crime. It is those folks who have to/must come forward with their information. We then have to leave it up to the police to connect the dots and lay a case that will stand up in court. Like every jurisdiction in the western world, the Police/Crown/Courts need our respect and 100% support. It was not so long ago when only one gun crime a year was committed in Cayman. Let’s work together towards that day again as a community and lessen crime in Cayman.