Armed, ready to shoot if necessary; Royal TCI Police

By Deandrea Hamilton

Editor

#TurksandCaicos, April 15, 2022 – The Gun Amnesty is now extended beyond its March 31^st deadline, arrests have been made in the Five Cays shooting and a new Police-led operation is activated after Five Cays lit up with at least three episodes or three days of rapid gun fire in a move by criminals which was so bold, so dangerous people are comparing the sounds in Five Cays to shelling heard when Russia invaded Ukraine.

Given by the Royal TCI Police Force Commissioner, Trevor Botting, an update where he started by saying Five Cays was terrorized by reckless criminals.

“In the last three days the community of Five Cays has been terrorized by dangerous criminals discharging firearms indiscriminately recklessly within the community. The actions of these young men have led to one shooting, the victim of which remains in hospital in a serious condition. Whilst only one person, to our knowledge, has been shot, there has been a constant discharging of firearms within the tight residential community, a community that is in fear and a community that is paralyzed and unable to live their normal lives whilst this reckless and criminal behaviour continues,”

Ending days of silence on the shocking situation which first erupted on April 6 with a string of shots around 1 pm; the Commissioner commented on his outrage at how residents are in fear; paralyzed by it and unable to live their normal lives.

“The reasons for the rise in activity is no doubt due to a number of issues, drugs, disputes and reprisals between groups of men and the commission of crimes such as robbery,” said the Commissioner, addressing the potential motive for the shelling.

There has been no statement from the elected Government.  Heavily criticised for her silence is Rachel Taylor, Member of Parliament for Five Cays.

“Now we’re in a neighbourhood where, you’re hearing gun shots right outside of your house.  You’ve got to duck on the ground an’ t’ings hoping nothing don’t fly through your window, said Paula Arthur, vocal advocate and media personality.

“For the last three days, it clearly was a voted in representor for Five Cays, Mrs. Rachel Taylor.  I’m not saying come in Five Cays and get in the middle of nothing, at least let’s hear your voice of comfort to the people who don’t having nothing to do with all this crap that going on in Five Cays.”

The Commissioner said his team was coming into the area.

“The current situation is simply not tolerable. Armed policing operations have been deployed in Five cays in response to this situation, both to push back against the criminals carrying and discharging firearms but also to proactively target those who we know are responsible. In the early hours of today, 8 th April an armed operation was carried out by our Tactical Team against a targeted individual. He is in custody and a firearm, ammunition and evidence linking him to murder and other serious crime have been recovered,” advised Botting.

He said officers will use whatever force is necessary, appropriate and proportionate to protect themselves.

Officers have a clear mandate and a legal right to defend themselves, the public and their colleagues, if threatened. In policing we never want to use force, we want compliance with the law and common decent behavior. However, Officers will use whatever force is necessary to protect themselves and my message to those carrying firearms or terrorizing our communities is clear, if you pose a threat to the public or Police Officers we will respond with force including firearms. The choices you make, may have a consequence for you. Our utmost priority is to protect our public and we will do that uncompromisingly.”