Suspect released in jerk stand shooting enquiry

| 05/09/2011

(CNS): The police have confirmed that the man arrested in connection with the shooting of Kemar Golding at a jerk chicken food stand in Red Bay in June has been released. Officers arrested an eighteen-year-old man for attempted murder on Tuesday 30 August following an operation in George Town. However, Detective Superintendent Marlon Bodden stated on Monday that the teen was no longer in police custody. He said that at times police have to arrest individuals in order to carry out their enquiries but they need to secure evidence before they are able to bring any charges against any individuals. (Photo Dennie Warren Jr)

“Like every enquiry we have to present evidence, evidence that is sufficient to be reviewed to see whether or not there is an opportunity to bring charges,” he said. "But there are occasions where we can’t follow a particular line of enquiry unless we affect an arrest, though it doesn’t necessarily mean that person will be charged at the end of the day.” However, the police have to have reasonable grounds of suspicion that the person was involved in a crime before they can make any arrest, he said.

The police continue to investigate the incident in which 28-year-old Kemar Golding was shot through the eye by a masked gunman during a failed robbery but miraculously survived. Golding, who is an assistant brewer at the Cayman Islands Brewery and still recovering from his ordeal, lost his left eye in the failed robbery when he was assisting a friend to take out garbage as the popular food stand was closing for the evening on 29 June.

Three masked men reportedly emerged from behind the Prospect Play House and demanded cash from Golding and his friend. When they said that they had no money, one of the robbers instructed another who was carrying the firearm to “give him one”, and the gunman opened fire shooting Golding through the eye.

Anyone who has information regarding this or any crime can call the anonymous tip line Crime Stoppers on 1-800-TIPS (8477).

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Can we please get rid of the police and save the country millions??  They dont serve any purpose anyway. Let the public protect themselves – its what has been happening anyway.

  2. Anonymous says:

    Its a good thing that the public school system is so bad.. Can you imagine if the police had to actually deal with intelligent well educated robbers.. there wouldn't be a snowballs chance in hell of catching any of them.  I just can't understand why they keep letting the criminals they catch walk free and/or reduce their charges.  The boys that held up the liquor store in grand harbor had charges dropped to an imitation firearm?  Why?, those little punks need to be made an example out of.  Obviously the police know who the criminals are but the system is broken and the police's poor standards of collecting evidence and following a professional protocol is making it impossible to convict anybody.  Murderers, Robbers, Rapists etc are all getting off and walking free.  WHAT A BIG SHAME!!

  3. Dred says:

    Sometimes it seems our Criminal Justice system is operating a catch n release program. Did I miss the memo?

    I am wondering is this whole stick up thing seems as fishy to the police as it does to me. I mean this seems a bit planned as there is no easy access to where they came from except walking thru the bushes from a distance away.

    Now comes why stick up two people throwing away garbage? What did the robbers think that they were dumping money? Then the whole "give him one" thing. Why?

    Sorting thru the crap and trying to open this can of worms I would make this guess.

    This was an initiation to a gang. The guy doing the shooting might not have had any clue what he was going to be asked to do. He might even have thought he was along for the ride only.

    The BT shooting seemed equally as perplexed. In either case the MOTIVE is not obvious. The expectations of reward is limited. I mean how much money do you suppose she was backing on her? Seem with the guys dumping garbage. Was two shots called for, especially from an older lady. Again rings of an initiation.

    People we do not want Cayman to get like other locations where not only people are being shot but police also. We have to clamp down on this really hard and we need our politicians to stop bickering and focus some attention at this issue.

    Let's put this another way so they can understand. One reason why we are a major banking and tourist destination is because of the safety we enjoy. Once this goes we won't have to worry about that precious budget.

    I am not saying giving RCIP a nice Budget kick back also. I am saying …how about a game plan for addressing the issue? How about calling in experts to assist. I am quite sure the US would assist if they thought it would cut off a route of drugs to their country. Get our police trained to attack this issue. Get the technology needed to fight these thugs. Get people inside their groups and nail their you know what.

    • Anonymous says:

      I like your points. Your grammer is poor, but the points are valid. The problem is that there are mutually exclusive forces at play within the RCIPs. The 'bosses' there simply cannot stand the perceived threat from enthusiaitic or skilled front line officers. Any time any initiative is shown, it is jumped on and squashed down. That is a huge part of the crime problem in Cayman, the police are mostly out for their own empires, and not to 'protect and serve' as they should have sworn to do.

      Initiations? Yes, i agree, the motives are unclear in some of the cases, an excellent point.

      You say, "One reason why we are a major banking and tourist destination is because of the safety we enjoy." Absolutely right, but the paradox is that Cayman hates foreigners, expats, guests, call them what you will, unless there is a massive payoff in return for your 'patronage'. That is the greatest lie in Cayman, and that will be your undoing. Most foreigners are only using your third world status for tax breaks anyway, and yet you still turn away those that genuinely want to help improve the life of the community.

      US police, in my experience, may not work as well with UK based laws as properly trained UK police, and they should be watched like a hawk to prevent the rediculous farce that was Tempura. Every single effective expat cop that I know has either left to protect their career integrity, or been forced to leave, after they have relocated their lives to cayman, don't forget.

      A cop will get shot there soon, and you will all have allowed it to happen.

  4. Anonymous says:

    Give thanks to the last generation of parents for this

    • Southside says:

      You could also thank the government for providing piss poor education standards for generations.

      • Anonymous says:

        Don't forget the mass status grants that have displaced many young Caymanians that would other wise be working and doing something productive with their lives instead they cannot get a job because there are no job for them, just for everyone else.  The devil will find work for idle hands.  It is a sad day indeed for Cayman and Caymanians, but crime is not the answer.  Caymanians need to get their acts together now or lose it.  When we rob, kill and commit crimes no one will want to come here to invest or visit as genuine tourist, then we will be the worst off for it.  This crime must stop.  If Caymanians are doing these crimes lock them up and if they are status holders deport them.

    • Anonymous says:

      You have a great point there, far too many parents have become delinquent in their duties which have resulted in this country being held hostage by a few young people being out of control. 

  5. Anonymous says:

    I agree with the police on this. They didn't arrest me or you for no cause. I'm this person fit the profile of someone who could have. Plenty of those around.

  6. Freedom Man says:

    Par for the course!  Why arrest anyone lets just have a Wild Wild West type of enviroment and let the criminals rule the Island…oh yeah that is what we already have!

  7. Anonymous says:

    At least he was realeased before he was taken to trial and let free after spending a year in jail . The RCIP are not producing. It is not that people are not cooperating it is as simple that they are failing to stop, prevent crime. The high fives for the odd criminal they bring in are all fine and good but the quality of policing that is being given is poor. While the Police are not at fault for the countless misguided youths that are in fact grown men and they cannot be held accountable for the broodmare syndrome that is running rampant amongst the fine young ladies, they are suppose to be what stands in between the community and the thugs. This has not been the case. There are far too many criminals running free , far too many unsolved crimes within these Islands. The Governement gives Baines way too much funding for what we get on return. Many believe that arming people with legal firearms will only lead to more violence. This stated in the Compass by a grandstanding security company head. the CCTV lights and alarms have not curbed the criminals as the learned Dr. White reported also. It is this type of thinking that Baines and other people have followed only to let the country be taken over by thugss . You can point to the US. All lawmen are armed and in States where people can carry guns or own them crime with firearms are way less for the most part them Cayman. This as a big picture is fact. Another fact is that Baines and his charge no matter the reason are not producing and need to step aside. This UK type of work is not what we want – look a bunch of hooligans destroyed England before force wasused and that was a farce. It is time for a change. You cannot throw money at this , you are going to have to get dirty and bloody. The criminals are hurting common people and noone is held accountable – can we stand for this forever and hear more of what a good job we are doing speech. The criminals are now getting money for having guns. Come on. This is just an insult to the people.

    • After dark is sad says:

      Agree that our current repsonse to armed criminal activity is NOT working, period.  55,000 people and $30 million spent on crime?  It must be the highest ratio spent per citizen in the world with failing results!

      Sorry, UK….it is time to arm our police, train them like the brave Mexican military and root out these thugs.  Door to door, night after night, arrest after arrest.  

      We need police where the tourists are (or should we just wait for another robbery during "full moon" at Calico Jacks?)  We need them in Doig City and the Swamp questioning neighbors, taking license plate details – nightly!  Put the pressure ON.  Lastly, please make the patrols get off their cell phones and actually get out of their cars.  

       

  8. JERK SAUSE says:

    I agree with you Mr Martin, but for Pete,s sake, pleas find who did it.

  9. Anonymous says:

    "at times police have to arrest individuals in order to carry out their enquiries but they need to secure evidence before they are able to bring any charges against any individuals."

    HUH?

    WTF??