John McCarthy
COCKBURN TOWN (AP) — Three young men were killed and 10 others injured at a popular nightspot in the Turks and Caicos Islands in what authorities called the British territory’s first mass shooting in recent history.
At least four suspects were involved in the shooting early Sunday on the island of Providenciales, but no one has been arrested, according to Police Commissioner Fitz Bailey, who called it “deeply disturbing.”
“We are now having a gangland-type slaying, and a lot of this gang violence seems to be concentrated in our Haitian communities,” Premier Charles Washington Misick told a press conference.
He called on the Haitian community to cooperate with police, saying some of them know how guns are being smuggled into the Turks and Caicos Islands.
“What is happening here is unlike anything we’ve ever seen before,” he said. “This is not a situation we should accept.”
The shooting comes as the archipelago cracks down on illegal immigration.
An estimated 10,900 Haitians live in the Turks and Caicos Islands, representing a third of the territory’s population. Around 80% of Haitians live in Providenciales, and 20% have permanent residency, according to the United Nations humanitarian affairs office.
Acting Gov. Anya Williams said the hospital in Providenciales was on lockdown to protect those being treated for their injuries. She said at least two of those injured were flown overseas for further treatment.
