Ed Bush Stadium shooting, six months on

On Thursday, 25 July, Cayman quietly crossed the six-month mark of the shooting at Ed Bush Stadium in which seven people were injured.

Since then, the initial shock and outrage that once gripped the community has dissipated, though the aftermath has led to legislative changes.

In Parliament this week, legislators invoked the 25 Feb. Ed Bush shooting as they passed changes to Cayman’s anti-firearms laws, including tougher jail times for offenders and dealing with ‘ghost guns’.

But what have police done between then and now? Is the community any safer and how long will it be before those responsible for the heinous crime are brought to justice?

The answers to these questions are still unknown, but some clarity can be gleaned through a review of the timeline of the last six months.

The shooting and immediate aftermath

Under the cover of nightfall, two unknown persons trekked through a dry cow pasture to the stadium’s edge where they indiscriminately opened fire on a group of 25 individuals, injuring at least seven.

A resident who witnessed the shooting told the Compass that they watched in disbelief as two men opened fire from behind the hedges of the stadium and then ran off through the field, eventually vanishing into the darkness.

Within a week, on 1 March, police arrested their first suspect – a 24-year-old West Bay man. The next day, a second man, 30, also of West Bay, was taken into custody. By 4 March, both men had been released on bail.

Then on 11 March, a third West Bay man, 21, was arrested. It is unclear whether that suspect has been released on bail or remanded into custody for unrelated matters.

But what is clear, is that, as of the six-month mark, there have been no charges filed in relation to the shooting.

The mystery weapon

Police have not provided many details about the weapon used besides the fact that is a 9mm handgun.

Ballistics reports from spent casings collected from the scene show this was the first time the gun had been fired in Cayman.

At the time, the findings indicated that the weapon was one of 86 illegal guns that had been identified by police. Three months prior, Police Commissioner Kurt Walton revealed his officers had identified unique ballistic markings for 85 illegal guns, none of which has been recovered.

A watershed moment

During a press conference a few days after the shooting, Cayman’s political and civic leaders condemned the incident, calling it a “tragedy” and declaring it a watershed moment.

This isn’t the first time that a gunman has opened fire on a crowd. Over the years, several persons have been shot and killed in night clubs – the most recent being Wayne McLean, who was gunned down at Vic’s Bar off Seymour Road in George Town in 2021.

Nor was the stadium shooting the first time in which multiple persons were shot and killed. In July 2023, three masked men ambushed, and shot and killed, two people and injured a third outside the Globe Bar off Martin Drive in George Town.

But what separates the Ed Bush Stadium from the other incidents is the fact that this was the first such shooting at a family-friendly event.

In response to this, government officials offered a $250,000 reward for any information that could lead to the arrests and successful prosecution of those responsible.

Given the fact that no one has been charged, it’s not clear whether anyone has come forward with information.

Police response

In the weeks after the shooting, community police officers were recalled from their beats, and reassigned to other units as police sought to get a grip on gun crime.

Those officers remain reassigned, and the future of community policing is still in doubt.

Police have increased overt patrols, with greater emphasis on communities and places known to be frequented by rival gangs who were thought to have been connected with the shooting.

A series of proactive police investigations, following the shooting led to the recovery of one firearm and several rounds of ammunition on 8 March. A George Town man, 26, was arrested and charged in connection with the weapon and bullets. The man was not linked to the shooting nor the gangs under police surveillance.

On 1 July, the RCIPS launched a national gun amnesty programme during which two firearms, a significant amount of ammunition, and two spear guns were turned in.

It is not clear what other actions the police are taking, but thus far they seem to be controlling gang activity.

Until those who are responsible for the shooting are brought to justice police continue to call on the community to come forward with information.

Anonymous tips can be provided directly to the RCIPS confidential tip line at 949-7777, or via the police website.

Tips can be submitted anonymously via the Cayman Crime Stoppers website or by downloading the Cayman Crime Stoppers app.