Crime

Statement by Commissioner of Police Trevor Botting

Published

3 years ago

November 2, 2022

#TurksandCaicos, November 2, 2022 – Good evening Turks and Caicos, its Wednesday 2^nd November 2022.

The murder of three people, two adults and a child in Dock Yard yesterday was a horrendous act of violence that shocked the TCI and the region of Caribbean countries. This incident also left a seven-year-old girl seriously injured and traumatized.

It’s hard to comprehend the depravity and callousness of the individuals who carried out this attack. No matter the motivation or target behind these murders, innocent lives were ruthlessly taken.

Investigators have an open mind as to why these people were targeted; it may be that this attack is not linked to the gang related violence which the Force is currently fighting against, but was driven by other motivation. Whilst I know how challenging it is to provide information in a small community where there is genuine fear, I am again asking you to help where you can; if you know anything about this incident, an incident that led to the death of an innocent child , I implore you to tell us what you know, either directly, anonymously or through crime stoppers.

It is widely reported that a number of calls were made to the Force Control Room during the evening of Monday 31^st October, reporting the sound of gunshots in the Timber Crest area of Kew Town. There is a strong possibility that these gunshots were related to the attack that led to the deaths of the three people discovered in Dockyard during the early morning of the 1^st November.

Comment has also been made that Police Officers did not respond to these reports.

This is not true. Police Patrols did attend the area of Timber Crest and searched the immediate area. The vehicle was found outside of this immediate search area by members of the public the following morning.

As a learning organization and in the interests of transparency, the Police response to the calls regarding gunshots being heard during the evening of the 31^st October is under a review, so we can establish how we dealt with that call and identify where we could have enhanced our initial response.

What we can confirm is, that a seriously injured seven-year-old girl was alone in a car for a long period of time, knowing that her mother and brother, along with a male involved were dead.

Given that fact, and given the obvious trauma and distress of that seven-year-old child, you will be aware that a number of persons who were on the scene, when the vehicle was found chose to take photographs and videos of the dead and the seriously injured child inside the vehicle and circulate them widely, rather than provide immediate assistance and support to the child at the time when she was at her most vulnerable. At a time when she needed a human touch, a show of humanity and reassurance. Such photos and videos were further recirculated through social media and chat groups.

Some are justifying their actions by saying it is in the public interest. However, any public interest must be balanced against the interests of those involved. It is certainly the view of myself and my Force Executive colleagues that the taking and circulating of those photographs served no purpose and it was certainly not in the public interest. It was definitely not in the interests of a seriously injured and traumatized child.

It is often quoted that ‘THE TRUE MEASURE OF ANY SOCIETY CAN BE FOUND IN HOW IT TREATS ITS MOST VULNERABLE MEMBERS’ If this is true, and I think it is, members of this society failed in that moment; a moment when a seven-year-old girl was at her most vulnerable.

I applaud you if you did not pass on the photos and videos and I salute you if you challenged the persons who sent them to you as to how inappropriate the images were.

To those who did take, circulate and recirculate those photographs I would ask that you imagine how you would feel if this was a member of your family, a loved one that was either killed or was in need and others did not help but took photos for circulation.

The Turks and Caicos Islands is a decent, Christian society but if we do not challenge such indecent and unchristian like behaviors, we run the risk of eroding the very Christian values and decency that we hold dear, that define us.

I sincerely hope that such behavior towards a child in need, or any persons who require help or human kindness is never repeated. I hope that the people involved reflect on what they did and the potentially emotional harm that their actions may have caused.

I do hope in the future that we, as a society. do better in the test as to how we treat out most vulnerable people.

Thank you.

Caribbean News

Bermuda Shaken by Targeted Murder as Crime Returns After a Decade of Calm

Published

2 weeks ago

September 21, 2025

Deandrea Hamilton

Deandrea Hamilton | Editor

Bermuda is reeling after the brazen murder of 37-year-old Janae Minors, a mother of two, who was gunned down in her own beauty supply store on Court Street, Pembroke. The attack, which police describe as “targeted,” has rattled the island, not only for its brutality but for what it says about the state of law and order in a country that less than a decade ago was celebrating a dramatic fall in violent crime.

The Attack on Court Street

According to police, at approximately 4:45 p.m. on Tuesday, September 16, a lone gunman pulled up on a stolen black motorcycle, walked into the Beauty Monster shop Minors owned, and shot her multiple times. Despite the rapid response of emergency services, she succumbed to her injuries shortly after being transported to hospital.

Detectives say the killer was thin, tall, dressed in dark clothing with a full-face helmet, and wearing bright gloves. CCTV shows him fleeing north on Court Street, down Tills Hill toward TCD, before turning onto Marsh Folly Road. Investigators are pursuing all leads, with a focus on recovering evidence from nearby cameras and eyewitness accounts.

Police Commissioner Darrin Simons confirmed the attack bore the hallmarks of gang-related violence, a chilling indicator that Bermuda’s gang rivalries — long simmering beneath the surface — may once again be spilling into broad daylight.

A Vibrant Life Cut Short

Minors, remembered as a hardworking entrepreneur with “a vibrant, beautiful personality,” leaves behind two children, ages 16 and 18. Her murder has ignited outrage across Bermuda, not just for its senselessness but for its timing: the island had once prided itself on virtually stamping out gun violence.

Then: Near-Zero Murders

Back in 2014, Bermuda made international headlines for reporting zero firearm murders — a remarkable achievement given the small island had endured a spate of gang-related shootings in the early 2010s. Police credited intelligence-led operations, tighter firearms interdictions, and aggressive prosecutions of gang leaders. Community programs and mentoring initiatives also played a role, giving at-risk youth alternatives to gang life.

By 2015 and 2016, gun crime was at historic lows. That period was hailed as proof Bermuda could beat back the tide of violence with coordinated policing, social investment, and political will.

Now: Alarming Resurgence

Fast forward nine years, and the picture looks starkly different. In 2024 and 2025, Bermuda has recorded a rise in gun-related deaths. Rival gangs such as Parkside and 42 have resurged, fueled by a new generation of recruits. Economic pressures, high youth unemployment, and the easy flow of smuggled firearms through maritime routes have undermined earlier gains.

Community trust in the police has also eroded, making investigations harder and retaliations more likely. Opposition MPs and neighborhood leaders warn that without sustained focus, Bermuda risks sliding back into the violent cycles of the early 2010s.

Public Alarm and Political Pressure

Premier David Burt condemned Minors’ killing as “an escalation of community violence that cannot be tolerated,” promising stronger enforcement and deeper engagement with residents. The Bermuda Police Service has appealed for CCTV, dashcam, and doorbell footage from the area, urging residents that even the smallest detail could break the case.

Yet among the public, frustration is growing. People remember the calm of 2014 — when zero murders were recorded — and cannot understand how the island has returned to headlines dominated by gun violence. The contrast is stark: from celebrating the elimination of gun murders to confronting the targeted execution of a businesswoman in broad daylight.

A Test for Bermuda’s Future

The murder of Janae Minors has become more than a single case; it is now a symbol of Bermuda’s struggle to hold on to the progress it once made. The question facing the island is whether the successes of a decade ago can be replicated and sustained in today’s harsher climate of economic pressure and gang rivalries.

For Minors’ family, nothing can erase the tragedy of losing a mother and daughter so violently. But for Bermuda at large, her death is a wake-up call — that the island cannot afford complacency when it comes to crime.

As one community leader put it: “Nine years ago, we had beaten this. Now, we’re back to fearing what happens when the sun goes down. That is not the Bermuda we want to live in.”

Crime

Two Injured in Sunday Blue Hills Shootings

Published

1 month ago

August 29, 2025

Deandrea Hamilton

Magnetic Media & Eagle Legal News

Turks and Caicos, August 29, 2025 – A quiet Sunday afternoon in Blue Hills was shattered on August 24 when bursts of gunfire erupted along Front Street, leaving two people injured and sparking renewed fears in the community.

According to Eagle Legal News Media, residents reported hearing a barrage of bullets around 3:30 p.m., forcing people to run for cover. Videos from the crime scene later showed more than two dozen evidence markers scattered across the roadway, documenting the scale of the attack.

At least two individuals were struck by gunfire, though police sources said their injuries were not considered life-threatening. The victims were treated at Cheshire Hall Medical Centre, where emergency services were briefly disrupted as staff responded to the influx of casualties.

The spray of bullets also damaged property. A small black Japanese car had its window blown out, while a truck parked nearby bore visible bullet holes.

The shooting came on the very same day that senior police and national security officials had gathered for a special church service in Providenciales, where prayers were offered for peace and protection across the islands. Just hours later, residents of Blue Hills were ducking for cover as bullets tore through their community.

The attack also followed weeks of heightened restrictions. Though Blue Hills had only recently emerged from a community-wide curfew, neighboring Five Cays remained under emergency restrictions until August 26. Additional late-night rules — including 2 a.m. closures for businesses and a ban on after-hours alcohol sales — remain in place following the July 27 Hookah Lounge mass shooting that killed four people.

Police cordoned off Front Street during their investigation, but as of press time, no arrests had been announced.

Crime

Police Seize Rifle and Ammunition in Blue Hills, 2025 Marked by Guns and Drug Arrests

Published

1 month ago

August 22, 2025

Deandrea Hamilton

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos — August 22, 2025 – The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RT&CIPF) has recovered a high-powered rifle and more than 250 rounds of ammunition following a targeted operation in the Blue Hills community of Providenciales.

According to police, officers from the Tactical Unit and the Criminal Investigations Division acted on intelligence and searched an open area where they discovered the weapon, 255 assorted rounds, and firearm accessories. No arrests were made. The investigation is continuing.

This seizure adds to a string of police actions in 2025 against guns and narcotics.

On March 27, officers executed a warrant at a residence in Pete Court, Kew Town. Police say they discovered several bags of suspected cannabis and tablets believed to be methamphetamine. A 58-year-old woman and a 34-year-old man were arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply.

In July, the Turks and Caicos Islands Border Force intercepted two separate narcotics shipments under Operation Transit Shed. More than 26 kilograms of cannabis and other drugs, with an estimated street value of over US $260,000, were seized. The contraband had been vacuum-sealed and hidden in boxes with detergent odors to mask the smell.

Days later, the country faced its first mass shooting when gunmen opened fire at a nightclub in Providenciales. Three people were killed and ten others injured. No arrests have been reported. Police are offering a US $10,000 reward for information leading to those responsible.

Police Commissioner Fitz Bailey has urged the public to cooperate with investigations, while Premier Charles Washington Misick described the surge in gun violence as a serious threat to the nation’s security.

Residents are being encouraged to report illegal activity by calling 911, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-8477, or using the P3 app.