Firearms fuelled 2024 record crime surge

Barbados would have recorded an overall decline in crime last year–if it wasn’t for the surge in firearm-related offences, a senior government crime researcher has confirmed. 

Gun-related offences have driven Barbados to its highest-ever murder rate, overshadowing declines in other crime categories, according to a new report from the Barbados Crime Observatory. (BCO). The island nation recorded 49 murders in 2024, a staggering 158 per cent increase from the previous year, with firearms used in 34 of these killings.

Established in 2012 and revamped in 2022, the BCO gathers and analyses crime information from sources such as police reports, the courts, correctional facilities, hospitals and probation services to guide evidence-based crime prevention strategies. Senior Research Analyst Kirt Goodridge presented the findings of the BCO during a Criminal Justice Research and Planning Unit (CJRPU) strategic meeting on Thursday.

The data showed that firearm-related killings and firearm-enabled crimes were the two key factors behind the country’s crime increase.

“There has been an alarming increase in the use of firearms, not just in murders, but use of firearms overall,” Goodridge said during his presentation.

“These offences single-handedly pushed the crime rate of Barbados above what it was in 2023. If you remove firearm-enabled murders, crime would have actually gone down last year,” he said.

Barbados recorded 49 murders in 2024, a 158 per cent jump from 2023, with 34 of them involving firearms.

The BCO research also showed that the country’s murder rate per capita reached 18.2 per 100 000 people, the highest in its history.

Gun violence was heavily concentrated in St Michael, where 53 per cent of all firearm-related slayings occurred, with Black Rock, Pine, and Sargeants Village emerging as crime hotspots.

The community of Gall Hill in Christ Church was a violent flashpoint, accounting for 33 per cent of the firearm-related deaths in that parish.

The average age of victims was 30, while the average age of accused perpetrators was 21.6.

Gun-related crimes went beyond homicides, with 207 firearm-related offences reported in 2024, including 169 major crimes and 76 shootings.

Overall, firearm-related crimes increased by 14 per cent compared with 2023.

The report showed Tuesdays and Saturdays were the deadliest days, with 26 per cent of all firearm-related murders occurring on those two days.

While major crimes against people and property declined in 2024, the murder rate was so high that it single-handedly reversed what would have otherwise been a decline in crime, according to Goodridge.

The crime researcher warned that if gun crime continues at its current trajectory, 2025 could see another record-breaking year.

“We need to figure out how to stop them—how to stop the importation of them, how to stop them from being used on the streets, and how to encourage young men and young women to use other means other than a firearm to settle conflicts,” Goodridge said.

CJRPU Director Cheryl Willoughby also described the gun violence crisis as a major national concern and noted that crime does not only affect communities but also Barbados’ economy and reputation.

“We have to recognise that crime does not just impact individuals—it affects the entire country. It even has implications for our tourism industry. If the perception of crime is that people are afraid to visit Barbados, then it affects our finances, our budget, our GDP,” she said.

She further noted that the rise in shootings follows a regional pattern, with Caribbean nations struggling to contain the flow of illegal firearms into their borders.

“Because our borders are so porous, it is easy for criminals and criminal activity to enter our country,” she said. “We have to be mindful of what is happening across the region and act early instead of waiting until it is too late.” 

shannamoore@barbadostoday.bb