Two released after shooting

| 10/07/2009

(CNS): UPDATE Friday 3pm — Two men who had been detained shortly after the shooting in West Bay Wednesday night by officers responding to the scene have been released from custody. “We are now satisfied that the involvement of these men is not criminal and they were, in fact, themselves victims in this incident,” Superintendent Kurt Walton said. Two other men who were arrested in the early hours of Thursday morning in connection to the triple shooting, which left 20-year-old Marcus Ebanks (left) dead and two teenagers seriously injured, remain in police custody.

Ebanks died after being taken to hospital on Wednesday evening (July 8). A 14-year-old-boy who was seriously injured in the shooting has been flown off-island for treatment and the 18-year-old victim remains receiving medical attention. Family Liaison Officers continue to support relatives who are going through extreme pain and suffering and the RCIPS sends condolences to those who lost a loved one this week.

A team of detectives led by Superintendent Walton are operating from a Major Incident Room at West Bay police station. Speaking about theinvestigation so far, Walton confirmed that the victims had been outside a property on the junction of Turtle Lane and Bonaventure Road with four others when two masked men emerged from the bushes and opened fire. It is unclear at this point how the offenders made off from the scene.

Superintendent Walton expressed thanks for the assistance that has been provided by the public so far, but called for anyone who has information who has not yet passed it on, to do so. “What happened is tragic,” he said. “If you have information about what took place or the events that led to it – it is your duty to come forward. Speak to an officer you know and trust or call Crime Stoppers, but get your information to us somehow. Even if you think it is insignificant, it could be vital to us.”

Two dedicated hotlines which are manned 24-hours a day have been set up for residents to reach the investigation team directly. The hotline numbers are: 926-1773 and 926-3975
These numbers are manned 24 hours a day and callers can remain anonymous if they wish.

“We need to put an end to violence,” said Walton. “We need to take those responsible off the streets. If you can assist us to do this, please come forward.”

Speaking at a press breifing on Thursday afternoon Police Commissioner David Baines said the polcie were appealing to the public to come forward and explained how two masked gunman emerged from the bushes on the junction of Turtle Road and Bonaventure Road and opened fire on some seven unarmed and innocent young men who were sitting on a wall in the area. He described a scene of panic and mayhem caused by the shooting and said that police had not yet established how the murderers had made their escape.

The new commissioner confirmed the identity of the murdered man as 20-year-old Marcus Ebanks and said his brother, 18-year-old Rod Ebanks, had also suffered serious injury but his life was not in danger. However, 14-year-old Adrian Powell is still fighting for his life and has been airlifted to the United States. Baines also said that the mother of the Ebanks brothers is a serving police officer with RCIPS.

Speaking about the four arrests, (two of whom have now been released), he noted that during the course of an investigation people are often arrested but it does not mean that there is any evidence to charge those people or that they were the gunmen and said that the RCIPS was still in need of the community’s assistance.

The commissioner said that the police needed to hear from anyone with any information no matter how insignificant it may seem. He explained that in both Wednesday evening’s shooting and that which took place on Sunday morning, where Omar Samuels lost his life following a shooting in McField Lane, people had been reluctant to assist the police.

“In both cases there are people who know and saw more than they are saying,” said Baines. “The police rely on the people to help. The community are the eyes and the evidence of the police.” He asked the community to search their consciences and come forward. He said that two people were dead and a boy was fighting for his life.

Baines said that there was no truth to any speculation that Samuels, who was shot and killed on Saturday night, was a police informant and he said that there was absolutely no evidence to suggest that the young men who were shot at last night were involved in anything illegal or criminal or were engaged in using drugs or part of gangs.

Baines pleaded with the community to come forward with any information they had regarding people who they knew to have weapons. “Rarely do we get the chance to save a life but every weapon taken off our streets could do just that and anyone who can tell the police about a weapon could be saving the lives of their own loved ones.”

He said he was aware of the issues of mistrust between the community and the police but  that anyone with information on either shooting could talk to any police officer that they trusted or, if not, they could contact Crime Stoppers. He said that he would be doing what he could to protect the integrity of information given to the RCIPS and he intended to sack any police officer that would leak information given in the course of investigating a crime.

Anyone with information on this or an crime can also call their local police station of Crime Stoppers on 800-8477 (TIPS). All persons calling Crime Stoppers remain anonymous, and are eligible for a reward of up to $1000, should their information lead to an arrest or recovery of property/drugs.

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Sleepless in Seattle – you are wrong again, right through to my Grandchildren are indigenous Caymanians, complete with birth certificates and not status grants nor will there be a need of any status for them if that matters to you.  We are tolerant but not stupid. 

    The point is we have a problem in our Country and we need to focus on the future for my Grandchildren while assisting our families who are morning. 

    Pack-up and go away.

    • Thankful says:

      Marcus was a non-violent leader.  An intelligent, honest, respectful and pleasant person.  He almost lamented daily at being umemployed and the lack of opportunities available to him.  He was overjoyed at getting employment a week before being murdered.

      I pray on bended kneww for wisdom for the plice and that Marcus’ death is not in vain.  May he be the catalyst for positive change to address the real issues in the country that he so often spoke about and loved. 

      Marcus my friend, brother, fellow Caymanian and west Bayer…son of the soil and promise of tomorrow – Our hearts arebreaking and we are eagerly praying for an arrest.  These murders must be caught.  May the Police knock ever door down and stone uncovered until they are caught.

      RIP bo bo

  2. Pale Rider says:

    To "Sleepless in Seattle",

     

     To criticise someone for their grammar and ideas simply because they do not coincide with your own narrow bigoted views is, well…pretty silly….You illustrate the very reason that the Caymanian people are starting to display these ideas.   I will deduce from your screen name that you may be American, and can only say that NOWHERE do people think they are God’s gift to mankind like Americans do…..Yes, everywhere has problems…Yes, there are bad apples in every society, but to say that there are NO Caymanians who are intelligent enough to go on courses to learn crime invetigation speaks to just how you view the very community which has allowed you to comeas a VISITOR and make a living and then as repayment you spit in the very faces of those who welcomed you…. This problems in this nation…yes, I said NATION…have many root causes…Not the least of which is the systematic disinfranchising of many good Caymanian Police officers by Senior level commanders who had and have hidden agendas to pursue.  You know the old saying?  "Don’t judge a man until you walk a mile in his shoes??"    You speak of Caymanian officers showing up and letting their family’s off of a few crimes and taking their pay and going home???   I think if you were to really look into the backgrounds of those you seek to accuse of this, you would see that they are not really Caymanian at all, but persons of other nationalities from other parts of the Carribbean who are really doing these sorts of actions, and the ignorant person that you are can’t even tell the difference between a ‘Bajan and a Trini’…much less a Caymanian from a Jamaican…guess you go by the rule, if they’re darker than a paper bag,…must be Caymanian….Now who is the bigot???

  3. Anonymous says:

    Some Scary Murder Statistics

    In 2008, New York had 6.3 murders per 100,000 population, or 523 murders in total for a population of 8,345,075 (http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/08aprelim/table_4mt-oh.html).

    The CIA World Factbook 2008 has the population of the Cayman Islands at 49,035 (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/CJ.html). 

    With 7 murders in the Cayman Islands in 2008 (http://centos6-httpd22-php56-mysql55.installer.magneticone.com/o_belozerov/31115drupal622/headline-news/2009/01/25/violence-crime-down), that gives a murder rate here of 14.2755 (call it 14.3) per 100,000 population. 

    That means that you are 2.27 times more likely to get murdered in the Cayman Islands than you are in New York City.

    Welcome to our new reality.

  4. Anonymous says:

    "sleepless in seattle" I’m guessing you are another loser who could not make it where God put you so came to Cayman to do us a favor because you think we don’t know our head from a hole in the ground. 

    I was not going to dignify your bitterness, but I will use small words so you can understand a little something hopefully before you leave.  And please leave if you are indeed on our little sand bar. 

    First a Caymanian is anyone who is legally here permanently, by birth or by status grant.  We are here to stay and want to make a positive contribution to this place and way of life.  We are not people who have come here to establish a new and improved resume and try to go back to where you own people won’t put up with you.

    Second we are not stupid, yes there are quite a few who can do forensics and it is generally accepted  that it would take quite some time.  But the end result would be they are ours and here to stay.  Not like contracted people who can simply return to what ever hell they came from when the mess-up here.

    Third and last, your comments and blantant disrespect for Caymanians simply shows you were not raised in a wonderful place like Cayman where manners and respect still prevail.  We teach our children better than that.  You have not only disrespected this Country and our people, but the memory of a wonderful young man which this article is about.

    Cayman has it’s problems, but we will survive.  Most of our major crimes are in fact comitted by non-Caymanians.  And we do make mistakes, obviously we let you in.

    • sleepless in seattle says:

      to Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 07/11/2009 – 22:14 who had a problem with my post.

      Yep, you called it, my bad.

      Although from your grammar you’re obviously not an indigenous local.

    • Anonymous says:

      To Anonymous – Sat 22:14.

      "Most of our major crimes are committed by non Caymanians".

      It’s hard to believe that anyone in this day and age could say this. Were it not for the fact that CNS would probably not publish them, I could list for you the names of the Caymanian prisoners in Northward for the most major crimes like murder, rape and other violent acts. You need to remove the nationalistic blinkers from your eyes and do some research.

  5. chickdee says:

    My condolences go out to the mothers and fathers of these victims who have been murdered in these islands. It is surely a sad time to see the current state of affairs when it comes to crime. How did we get to this current state and why? Caymanians are almost extinct in these islands not to mention the RCIPS. To answer your question Yes Caymanians were trained to do such work but were push out just like the rest. One has to really wonder sometimes if this was all part of the"big plan" by certain individuals and their advisers. They appear to be the sole benefactors who says crime does not pay. any doubts about that ask the Cayman Islands Government they spent a small countries budget of CI$50 million. I would say someone needs to hit the road.

  6. Anonymous says:

    All that money that was invested into the Police Department………….. where did it go??  The cars mashed-up, the junk broke, the helicopter is still a joke!!  The toys are no good without proper use.  Who makes these crazy decisions?? 

    Why were no Caymanians sent away for training in crime scene investigation?  I know plenty of our people would go and be trained then return to serve and protect if Government would send them!!  Investing in people is the best investment a Country can make.  We will find ways to get what we need if our own knew what we really needed.  We hire people to do these jobs, but it is too late when we discover they are no good and families still morn their losses.

    Just maybe if we properly educated team of Caymanians in these matters things would be a lot better.  The criminals know who to scare and that our investigators inadvertantly mess everything up.  They know without eye witnesses all is lost.

    We can’t change what has happened, but for the love of our losted ones and the protection of our future stop doing everything the same way expecting different results.  I hurt like hell for my friends who have lost their kids, I have kids the same age.  Begging people to come forward is useless, wishing the hounds of hell on the criminals is useless, crying with the families is useless, so how long are we going to stay useless?

    It is not rocket science, stop expecting everyone else to solve our problems.  We need to do it ourselves.  Community leaders please identify those who we can educate from your district.  Then we can identify different areas of criminal activities prevalent to our Island and lets get our government and private sector to join and help us send them away to be educated.  It is a small step to a big difference in the name of our lost young men and hurting parents.  This is everybodies problem, not just RCIP or Government.

    My condolences to all the families, may God help you hold on.

    • sleepless in seattle says:

      to Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 07/11/2009 – 13:36.

      Your comments have just perfectly illustrated the dichotomy of all things Caymanian. Your grammar and ideas are naive at best. If you can find a Caymanian intelligent enough or willing to become trained in what is an incredibly complex science (forensics), then it will be a number of years before they become effective (if ever). I would suggest that if you look at the Caymanian police officers you have, you will see that more often than not, they turn up, let their family off a few crimes, take their pay, and go home.

      Your incredibly backward thinking ‘all things Caymanian are better’ attitude just illustrates you to be the introspective, racists bigot that you are. What your country needs is the courage, intelligence, fortitude, dignity, intelligence, humility, intelligence, backbone and let’s not forget intelligence, to realise that, as your forefathers realised, there are more benefits to going to other countries and importing things to improve your little sand bar. You can’t make a silk purse out of a sows ear, but you car fill that sows ear with enough good things to make it still sttractive, despite the container.

      Stop banging the ‘Cayman is best’ drum. No country is, but all have much to offer. Do you see other countries Clamouring to import the best of Cayman? i suggest the rest of the world will survive without Rum Cake (which is actually Jamaican) and Cat boats. There are no indigenous Caymanians, like west bay dogs, you are all a mix, as the whole world is. Cayman, you cannot funtion in the 21st century, either locally or internationally, with your C16th attitudes. If that’s what you want, then every single item imported in the last 500 years should be discarded, from neurosurgeons to Blackberries, to allow you to revert to your ‘idylic life’ with complete integrity.

      Good luck!

  7. Anonymous says:

    We are not on island at this time and we are scared to return to the beautiful island, the land before time, our home town.

     

    Our condolences go out to the Ebanks family..

    • Twyla M Vargas says:

      WHERE ARE YOU LIVING?

      Must be with St. Peter,because that is the only place I dont think you will find crime being commited.   Cayman is only a drop in the bucket., and I wish some people would not make it seem so hideous, as if this place is not fit for a dog.  Come home and make a difference.

  8. Heart Broken says:

    Kara & Richard,

    My deepest condolences go out to you and the rest of the family.  I can only somewhat imagine how you are feeling at this moment, just 4 months ago I lost someone in a vacaious manner too, granted it was not a child I lost, but I can certainly emphatize with you.  I thought there were no further life for me.

    The counsellor and others told me and keep telling me that TIME is the healer, during the early days after the incident, I just could not comprehend nor could I accept, but as time passes, it gets better but it will take a very long time to revert to some normacy in your life, if ever.  Cry alot my dear, get it out, see your counsellor as often as you need to and last but not least, talk and pray to God, he shall surely guide you.

    I shall keep you all on my prayers.

     

     

     

  9. Anonymous says:

    To the intellectually dishonest gun-nut that posted (or should i say ‘copy and pasted’) at 11.51:

    The factcheck.org website has a pretty substantial rebuttal of the email you pasted onto here, which has been circulating since 2001 and has been described as ":a cartoonish view of complex events". See:  http://www.factcheck.org/askfactcheck/did_gun_control_in_australia_lead_to.html

    It is sad that someone could so shameless politicize events like this to propose that the answer to our gun crime problem is more guns. But hang on, haven’t we heard these sorts of things from certain gun proponents in response to previous homocides in the Cayman Islands?

  10. Mercedezes says:

    My condolences goes out to The Ebanks Family and the Myles Family as well.

    This is a very very sad day for the both of these families and all these stupid ass people are doing is talking nonsense. A Mother has lost a child, can you all rivit that thru unna damn head. The pain one has to suffer to lose someone this way is very hard to bare. I know these boys Mother i grew up around her and she was grown and taught respect and decency.

    I know that she also related that teaching to her kids. This young man NEVER deserved to die like this. My heart is full with so much tears for their Mother and i pray that she will be able to recover and be strong again for her other surviving child.

    It’s hard and no one knows until it actually happens to you, what one has to go thru in these circumstances. I’m praying that the RCIPS will hurry and find the people who has done this. We need to pray for the families who are grieving.

    God we need you to look down on these Islands and touch the handsof these criminals and make them not commit these crimes again, take all evil taughts and cleanse them. I pray that you will deliver this family and renew their hopes and dreams and give them strength to forgive all those that have hurt them, lead them into the right direction, in your holy and precious name we pray

    AMEN!

  11. Anonymous says:

    I shudder t think of where our little island is heading.  I remeber when Jamaica was a most wonderful place to live where people could shelter from the elements on anyone’s varanda.  Then I watched criminality take hold in gradual stages until eventually (and still deteriorating) it is at the stage where if you are conscious about life and your soroundings, one would never think of living there.

    The first requirement forus Caymanians is to accept that there is a problem and collectively put measures in place to deal with it.  We need to stop being in denial about these issues.

    Goverment would do better diverting some of their attention from the "Grey List" and focus more on gettting our communities in order.

     

     

  12. Anonymous says:

    To "Ironside for cryng out loud’.

    I am certain if it was a member of your family that was shot, you would want the community to assist in solving the murder. Don’t be so selfish, think about the persons who have been killed and still no one has been charged. There are many persons on this Island who know about this and many other shootings/murders and choose to keep quiet!! It’s a disgrace.

  13. Baya's know who did it says:

    Boy if I were there that night and witnessed this I would have no hesitation to TALK! I am sick and tired of these same ol’ murderers putting all of our WB children at risk. They are the same ones that spill blood all the time! What I can’t understand is how they still walking the road, buying liquor, seling drugs and lickin’ shots….talkin bout all kinda foolishness! Make me sick to be a Baya! AND the saddest thing is that they all have children themselves…..and don’t think about the curses that they are laying upon their OWN children heads!

    I pray that they can’t sleep..that they can’t eat…that they suffer long and painfully for what they CONTINUE to do!

    I grew up with Marcus and Rody (they were like my little brothers) and it is sad because even their mother probably thought that it was safe to walk 30 seconds down the road from where they grew up! 

    Marcus – we’ll remember you for the enegetic little kid you were…the ‘Marl pit’ days…RIP my bo ~ we will miss you until that sweet day! God nah sleeping and one day they will have to answer!

    Sick of this!

     

  14. Anonymous says:

    To those who lack the spine to stand up against crime and report what you know:

    Go forward with your eyes open.  You will reap what you sow. 

    Crime will thrive around you and your home since you fertilize it so well with your silence.  You will become the victims of choice, since you will take it so quietly.  Criminals will choose to live close to you, because you protect their evil ways by keeping their evil secrets so well.  Soon, you will be surrounded by evil, and you may find that you are not so uncomfortable in that position, since you have become not so different from the criminals whose secrets you protect.  You have chosen to become an accomplice, and you have thereby volunteered to become, morally, a criminal too.

  15. Anonymous says:

     "* In 1929, the Soviet Union established gun control. From 1929 to 1953, about 20 million dissidents, unable to defend themselves were rounded up and exterminated. This doesn’t include the 30 million "Uncle Joe" starved to death in the Ukraine.

     

    * In 1911, Turkey established gun control. From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

    * Germany established gun control in 1928. In 1938, the Nazis extended that control to ban the possession of military style weapons and to outlaw the sale of any weapons without government approval. (This sounds a lot like some of the current gun control efforts being pushed for in our country today.) From 1939 to 1945, the Gestapo & SS killed millions of people unable to defend themselves.

    * China established gun control in 1935. From 1948 to 1952, 20 million political dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up & exterminated.

    * Guatemala established gun control in 1964. From 1964 to 1981, 100,000 Mayan Indians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up & exterminated.

    * Uganda established gun control in 1970. From 1971 to 1979, 300,000 Christians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up & exterminated. The total dead are said to be 2-3 million.

    * Cambodia established gun control in 1956. From 1975 to 1977, 1-2 million "educated" people unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

    * Defenseless people rounded up & exterminated in the 20th Century because of gun control: 56 million at a bare minimum.

    * During W.W. II the Japanese decided not to invade America because they knew most Americans were ARMED.

    Note: Admiral Yamamoto, who crafted the attack on Pearl Harbor, had attended Harvard University from 1919 to 1921 and was a Naval Attaché to the U.S. from 1925-28. Most of our Navy was destroyed at Pearl Harbor, and our Army had been deprived of funding and was ill prepared to defend the country. It was reported that when asked why Japan did not follow up the Pearl Harbor attack with an invasion of the U.S. Mainland, his reply was that he had lived in the U.S. and knew that almost all households had guns.

    * Gun owners in Australia were forced by new law to surrender 640,381 personal firearms to be destroyed by their own government, a program costing Australia taxpayers more than $500 million dollars. The first year results: Australia-wide, homicides went up 3.2 percent; Australia-wide, assaults went up 8.6 percent; Australia-wide, armed robberies went up 44 percent (yes, 44 percent). While figures over the previous 25 years showed a steady DECREASE in armed robbery with firearms, that changed drastically upward in the first year after gun confiscation… since criminals now are guaranteed that their prey is unarmed; There has also been a dramatic increase in break-ins and assaults on the Elderly. Australian politicians are at a loss to explain how public safety has decreased, after such monumental effort & expense was expended in successfully ridding Australian society of guns. The Australian experience and the other historical facts above prove it.

    With guns…. We are "citizens".

    Without Them…. We are "subjects".

     

  16. Twyla M Vargas says:

    ANYMOUS 23:05

    Have to agree with your comments.  If anyone think that getting on your knees alone will save Cayman, then get down, but you will be there un til you get shot.   God help those who help themselves, and helping themselves is also working with the police,  and making it your business to  know my business.

    Some refer to not putting their life on the line for police.  Have you for one moment consider that every day and night the police are putting their life on the line for you, your friend family or a neighbour.  For Gods sake please have some conscience and use your brains.  One day  this is going to get out of hand,  meaning ,  the wrong person may be shot some day and some idiot  is just going to go real nuts, and turn a dam gunman.  Can you then be so sure that you or your child will not inocently be in the line of fire.  I always heard that there are more ways than one to kill a cat, figure it out.

    Assisting the police is not putting your life on the line for them, it is trying to eradicate crime in Cayman.   And to the police I say you have a bigger job than stopping a few cars going to work for speeding.   Know what you do,  have road blocks and search suspicious persons who are not going anywhere when questioned.    Ask people for their identification when you stop them.  What is wrong with having an eye for this. 

    By 9 am every one who has a job is there,  even the fisherman is out on sea,  and the farmer in his ground,  so where are the vagrant persons going on a jolly ride 11 am in the morning. 

    Officers, Officers, Officers, Please get with the program.  Enough is not being done.  I am going to concentrate on Bodden Town, that is my business, because Cat may not have any business in dog fight.   Yes it is observed that certain officers is stopping every thing with wheels in the eastern district, but , for what,  a speeding ticket alone.   These people are on their way to work doing a little five miles over the limit.   Yes there is nothing wrong letting them see you know you are out there, but how many cars you have randomly searched when stopped.   Criminals dont speed, they drive leisurely, because they can think better.   How many suspicious persons have been asked for identification during a pull over besides a drivers licence.  People have them who havent been near the police station for petes sake.    I have seen police ask four suspicious  men persons for their name, and they tell the police they dont have any.  These same persons are overstayers on the Island, not working, disappeared right in front of the police eyes, vacated the primises, and still on the Island.  Not good enough I say.  Anyway, be blessed an walk good.

  17. Anonymous says:

    R.I.P Marcus

  18. Stan says:

    So that’s it?  We all now live in fear that the next crime will be against them and more so, we live in fear that we cannot do anything about it?  I wonder how much police we expect to have on this island (and regain financial stability I might add)? 

    If I sit and shut up, and you sit and shut up, and the next man, and the next … and it goes on, why wouldn’t the criminals feel they have the ….. to do as they will and not worry about consequences because after all, those that know are too afraid (rather stupid) to do anything about it. 

    Sad truth is, Marcus shouldn’t be dead, Omar either, and further back, Estella and those preceeding…

    Will we stand Cayman to end the cycle?  Will we stand Cayman, as a people, to stop feeling inferior to these criminals but rather show them we will not tolerate having our island regress to times when pirates ruled?  (could have a true pirate’s week then huh?) 

    I’m saying this as my first step in STANDING.  I pray I’m not alone.  Our silence and refusal to act is not keeping our families safe but instead assisting in boosting the crime rate.  We should all be locked up for gross negligence for each murder/ theft/ rape/ underage drinking/ and all other acts of disrepect to the law we decide to live under.  But that’s just my take… I urge us all to choose a side…

  19. Anonymous says:

    Anonymous 23.05 on 07/09/09

    Your cowardice is unbelievable, you wouldn’t report a heinous crime to the police for fear of retaliation? Don’t even say you wouldn’t put your family at risk, because if they heard you being such a selfish and weak person they would never want to speak to you again.

    How can you say that your heart and prayers go out to these families who have lost loved ones. nobody wants your prayers, if there was a god he would be embarrassed of people like you so I wouldn’t wish your prayers on anybody.

    You can report anonymously to crimestoppers and not even leave a name unles syou want a reward. The selfishness and cowardice of you low life scumbags is amazing.

    • ironside says:

      Guys, (boys or girls) I made the first posting, and thanks for your back up (excluding my first responder!) and back to he or she i say this, are you just an habitual criticiser, that blames everything on others, If you were the parent of any of the recent deceased, could you put your hand on your heart and say to the person who knew the identity of the killer of your child  "I understand why you won’t tell the police the identity of who killed my son/daughter, because you’re scared…" No, i would say that you would more likely be on here whining about people not ‘stepping up’.

       

      My initial comments were not intended to de-rail the focus of this story, and so I say again, unless the incident happened IN FRONT OF a police officer, then it is down to people like us to tell the police what happened. If the island was blanketed with CCTV cameras, to rescue you from your responsibility of assisting the police, I have no doubt that you would be ‘up in arms’ about the intrusion that comes with that too…

      Human beings have been killed, by other human beings, so to my first responder on here I say this, please, be a human being, have a poke around, see if you can find your backbone, and behave like the human being I’m presuming that you are. No matter what else, these victims were someone’s children, and if they were yours, i would suggest you should (rightfully) expect help from your community… your contempt for the police can only come from bad experiences with them in the past, but any interaction with the police starts somewhere. Are you completely blameless?

      Yes, I am serious, if you want a better police force, then if you have the power, give them the information to perform to our expectations.

  20. Anonymous says:

    "Do u think people is going to put their families lives in jepordy  and their lives on the line for the Police?"

     

    The question is not if you will do it for the Police, but what if anything you are willing to do for our Country and our fellow Caymanians.

     

     

  21. Anonymous says:

    The police cannot be everywhere however their absence in  the "Hotspots"around this islands has been duly noted for sometime in fact in some areas non existent. The people of this island are well aware of what going on here and who is being look after on this island. Mr Ebanks may be dislike for his constant harping on one aspect of the social problems we are now experiencing, his frustration appears to be born of a genuine regard for this island and our police service. He like many know where we were and where we are now and the lack of leadership is abundantly clear and seriously affecting policing in these islands. All we are hearing is a whole pile of excuses. My condolences goes out to all the familes who have lost loved ones to this violence in our islands.

    • Anonymous says:

      To the police cannot be everywhere.  Do you really think if there comes a time when there is a strong police presence in what you call hot spots that it would do any good ?  Don’t you realize that will just make them move to another area and create a different hot spot ?  Maybe even hotter than the one before.

  22. Anonymous says:

    It is so disturbing what is happening in what once was a peaceful island.  While there may be underlying social issues that contribute to this type of behaviour, it is even more disturbing when people can plan to carry out executions ‘en masse’ after obviously having weighed the risk of getting caught and prosecuted.

    Given that we are the equivalent of a small town USA with a liquid border and nowhere to effectively hide these criminals are exhibiting some of the most dangerous behaviour.  If this occured elsehwere it is very likely the criminals would have been far away by now to avoid being caught.  Our criminals on the other hand, feel that they can commit murder right on their own doorstep and continue their life of crime.

    The social disorders that are the underlying cause of this are exacerbated by  ineffective policing and a judicial system that is far from adequate.

    Who is responsible to fix this?  Ultimately we all are, but we look to leaders to steer us in the right direction, but Cayman has a quango system where a more or less symbolic governor has little used or insignificant powers and the government leadership can capitalise on that too!

    Unless there are some radical changes, young lives will continue to be lost and all but the grieving family will forget about them.

  23. Clearviewer says:

     

    To the family  my sincere condolences and may God bless you.

    This is my sentiment also, you cowards that are selling your selves short with the conceived idea that the police are snitches this is a pre conceived fear that you allowed your selves to give in to.  Any one that knows something about this crime and hide the facts is just as big a crimminal as the one that  pulled the trigger. When the chips fall in one of your back yards and you need the ones with the knowledge to come forward with info, then you will feel the pain and disgust..  We must assist the police with the info they need,and if you can prove that the police are snitching then it is high time that you report that officer too.

    To the new govt I say it is time for more villigence to get the right equiptment and men to police and solve these crimes, stop the bickering about who have and have not, poverty does not make you a crimminal, riches does not make you a crimminal, it is imbedded in your up bringing, lazy,idle people that would rather beg or steal than do an honest days work are the type to get into trouble and hate the man or woman that will work and help themselves, so stop the whinning  and excuses for this type of behaviour. We must not condone it. So give the police your support.We need these crimes solved.

  24. Anonymous says:

    Evil will always prevail when good men stand by and do nothing! How far do we have to go before we say enough is enough?

     

  25. Anonymous says:

     Ironside for crying out loud do you hear yourself talking?  Are u really serious?  An open invitation!  Do u think people is going to put their families lives in jepordy  and their lives on the line for the Police?  Will the Police protect us?  Will the Police have someone there 24-7 to protect us for snitching. Do u ever ask yourself that question?  Do u know what happen to people when they snitch? Tell me, will they have our backs when we do turn these Murderers in?  I dont think so!  They have a job to do so tell them all to get off their lazy A$$e$ to do it, instead of giving out to people traffic tickets and talking down to our Caymanians.  Trust me my heart and prayers do go out to this family and I hope and pray that this would not happen again, but with the kind of Police we have that only prey on the innocence anything is possible.

    • Anonymous says:

      to anonymous Thurs at 23.05

      "snitching" it is not…. doing your public duty and standing up and telling the truth in court about criminal activity in order to ensure that society does not become so engrained with crime and defendants do not think that they can just get away with anything because no-one will do so. 

      It is a a duty of every citizen to uphold the law…… that includes assisting the law enforcement by telling the truth and then giving evidence in court.  If that becomes the way of life then criminals will no longer achieve what they set out to do which is silence the witness.

      Until people view it that way and stand up for what they believe – ie a society which is safe and friendly andhospitable then Cayman will continue to go to the dogs.  It is not up to others to solve the problems it is up to each and every person to take responsibility for their place in society.  If that means taking issue if someone is doing something wrong then that is what needs to be done.

      Stand up and take responsiblity and stop blaming everyone.

  26. ironside says:

    There is your chance Cayman, you have an open invitation to assist in the capture of these offenders, as you do with every other crime on the islands. You have to support this new Chief of Police, and allow, help him make the differences so desperately needed here. Take the opportunity, don’t sit back and waste time moaning about whose fault it is. If you have information and don’t make that call, it’s your fault. Can you live with you cowardice, even if there is a perceived risk involved with helping police, if you sit back and do nothing?