Barbados will introduce domestic terrorism legislation following a mass shooting in Bridgetown early Saturday (January 3rd) that injured 10 people. Prime Minister Mia Mottley said the incident, which occurred as passengers were leaving a party cruise, demonstrated the need for stronger laws to address acts intended to spread fear and panic, not just individual crimes such as murder or assault.
The shooting took place along Hinks Street and Nelson Street shortly after 3 a.m. Five victims were hospitalised, three requiring surgery, while others were treated and released. A temporary lockdown at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital was implemented and later lifted. Police investigations are ongoing, led by the Major Crime Unit and the Serious Organised Crime Unit.
Mottley said recent shootings in public and residential areas point to a broader pattern of violence that requires more than existing criminal charges. She stressed that a small number of individuals would not be allowed to endanger the wider population and reaffirmed that such behaviour would not be tolerated.
Commissioner of Police Richard Boyce assured the public there was no need for fear, appealed for information, and defended the force’s crime-fighting efforts. The prime minister thanked law enforcement and medical staff for their response and urged national unity against gun violence, reiterating her call of “no gun walks, no gun talks.”
Source: Barbados Today