Police say Bridgetown shooting linked to long-standing dispute

Police Commissioner Richard Boyce has described Saturday’s shooting in Bridgetown as a targeted, revenge-driven attack linked to a long-standing dispute, while insisting it does not erase years of successful crime-fighting by the Barbados Police Service. Ten people were injured in the incident.

Speaking at a press conference alongside Prime Minister Mia Mottley, Boyce said preliminary investigations indicated the incident was not random.

“What happened this morning, for us, we can say it was a revengeful act,” Boyce said. “Two parties against each other, [it was a] long-standing dispute. They…[waited] on persons who were disembarking a vessel and took shots at them.”

The shooting occurred just after 3 a.m. as passengers were disembarking from a party cruise aboard the Dream Chaser 2 in Bridgetown.

Boyce stressed that the incident, while serious, should not overshadow ongoing police successes.

“The records speak for themselves in terms of our successes over the period that I’ve been speaking to the country,” he said. “A one-off incident this morning will not delete that excellent work which we have done over time.”

He added that the attack appeared to be well planned, prompting the assignment of senior investigators.

“It was not something happenstance, it was well planned and organised, and that is why we put our ace detectives to deal with it and bring those perpetrators to justice…soonest,” Boyce said.

Prime Minister Mottley echoed the commissioner’s remarks, praising law enforcement for preventing numerous incidents in recent years.

“Many, many, many incidents have been avoided and averted,” she said. “I want to thank the police for that.”

She added that further potential threats had also been prevented during the Christmas season. (SM)