Man shot dead in West Bay

| 14/09/2011

(CNS):  A man from West Bay was shot in the head and killed at the junction of Capts Joe and Osbert Road in the Birch Tree Hill area of the district last night, police have now confirmed. The man who is the first murder victim of 2011 and cannot be named until the next of kin have been informed was shot in the face while sitting in a blue Honda Civic at around 11:20pm. He is understood to have received several other gun shot injuries. When police arrived at the scene the man was already dead. A woman was also taken to hospital in connection with the same incident during which she appears to have been shot with a pellet gun.  (Photo Dennie WarrenJr)

It is not yet clear how many gunmen were involved and police have not circulated any descriptions of the shooters.

The first homicide of the year comes the day after the country's parliament voted to increase the police budget by more than $4milllion in order to get to grips with gang and gun crime.

See "Polcie appeal for calm" for the latest informaiton in the killing.

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  1. Anonymous says:

    I have five sons ranging from the ages of 33 thru 8.  And I have made it known to them and now to you the readers. If any of my sons so choose to be badman, gunman, thieves are any form of crimianl element. I personally will shoot them first.  In my culture it is very important to protect our grandparents and great grandparents names. Therefore, we either die or live right. Parents, it is important for your kids to fear you while loving you. BUT …. you as parents must love your kids, protect them, guide them and if you have to beat them, do not spare spare the rod and spoil the child. 

  2. Charm says:

    It is NOW time to call in Reneto Adams of Jamaica.  Feared by all gunmen including the most notorious ones, even feared by the Jamaican Government and Force. This unique retired police officer is known for cleaning up the bad man and then ask questions. He is the real BADMAN Policeman.  Give him 12 months and then roll him out. He could coach Cayman Police Force how to combat crime.  It is such a pity Jamaica forced him into early retirement.  Excerpts from one of his interviews.
      “You have to be firm. You have to use some force where it is necessary and you have to know how to use it. Civil society has lost control in Jamaica, so you have to have a firm strong personality [referring to the job of Police Commissioner] who knows strategy and tactic and who knows how to contend with the criminal elements”.

     

  3. Anonymous says:

    I believe the courts should take a more serious attitude when it comes to murders.

  4. nys_best2003 says:

    I'm reading a lot  of comments about WANNA BE gangsters.  There's nothing WANNA be about someone dying.  Someone has died and there's nothing WANNA BE about that…  But I've been saying for years on this message board.  We've just began… No focus is be placed on these kids…. Time will surely tell.  I've heard the police was given an extra 4 million.  Where's the monies to help train these kids…?    

    • Anonymous says:

      Training starts from home.  Parents need to stop promoting slackness amongst the youth.  Remember the Cayman 27 video clip when poor Jeremiah's brother said "a gun was needed" to help yourself.

  5. Anonymous says:

    Condolences to the family of this young man. People be Proactive, often times we know when our loved ones are hanging with the wrong crowd, doing the wrong things, in the wrong areas, at the wrong times. Hell we have to be honest with ourselves we know when they are just plain bad. Speak to them, daily if you have to. Encourage them, give them an incentive, take them on, help them in some way that may give them hope of a difference. It is surely too late when they are gone no matter how hard you cry for brother, cousin, daddy, lover, friend. Dead is DEAD, there is no coming back, no do overs.

  6. Anonymous says:

    ……………………."and they said drugs was killing the youth"

    • Anonymous says:

      it IS drugs my friend. and there not to good for the rest of the country either.

  7. Anonymous says:

    Cayman needs to turn to God. The Bible says"righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to any people". The Bible also says" If my people who are called by my name shall humble themselves and bow and pray, then will I hear from Heaven My dwelling place and fogive their sins and heal their land". We have been too materialistic, hateful to one another and to the visitors amongst us and only seeking after the almighty dollar. Our children learn this from us and do likewise. They are the Nation of tomorrow and if things don't change , our future is bleak. From the Pemier to the Leader of the Opposition to the ministers and MLAs and senior civil servants downwards needs to call upon the Name of the Lord and repent and God will Give them the wisdom to run the affairs of Government. We will then see a change.

    • Anonymous says:

      WTF ???????????????

    • Anonymous says:

      THAT kind of attitude has let crime and corrupt politicians escalate over the last years.

      Just stick your head in the sand and pray to something.

      A very very naive look of the world arround you.

      BTW can we have our 4 million church dollars back ? Fool

    • Anonymous says:

      What planet are you from ?

  8. dig deeper says:

    Information I think would be helpful for society as a whole:

    1) Who was Robert Macford Bush? Did he work? Was hean uncle? A Dad? what kind of father was he? Did he have a previous criminal record? If so, what were the charges?

    2) Who is his mother?Has the father been involved in his life?

    3) Who are his siblings? How many half brothers/sisters does he have?

    4) What was his teenage home life like? Was there love, caring, and concern?

    5) Is there any history of addiction, depression, mental health disease in the family?

    6) Did Robert finish grade 6? grade 9? graduate? Any post secondary eduction?

    7) who are his grandparents? What roledid they or didn't they play in his life?

    8) What was his father like? Did he work? How did he treat his kids? Was he in their life? Was he a good role model? Or was he a deadbeat dad?

    9) Same questions for his mother.

    10) Interview his teachers, his past girlfriends, his current girlfriends, his cousins, his brothers, his sisters, his half brothers, his half sisters.

    Instead of reporting that another likely gangster wannabe (assumption) was shot, and in this case murdered. Why not dig deep into the life of the murdered. Paint a picture for society. Talk about the less nice stuff, and see if we can paint a complete picture. Then do it for each of our incarcerated and murdered, perhaps we can start facing and addressing the real issues underlying the behaviours and activties that we read about regularly. It will make for uncomfortable reading for many, including the family, friends, and the average person in society. We should feel uncomfortable,

    Then perhaps, when the details are in the media, in the public, and some patterns and trends start to form, perhaps Government, families, and friends will face the issues head on and start changing how society looks at these thugs and gangster wannabes.

    Why protect the deceased? Why hide the details? Why sweep it all under the rug like it doesn't matter? What are we scared of?

    Then look at your own children and ask the same questions above- while they are alive.

    Then ask yourself – is there more I can do to help my children succeed in this world?

    • Anonymous says:

      Cayman is in denial. The root cause of crime in Cayman is cultural. Police and guns will not change that.

       

      The root cause of this murder  is 28 years old.

    • Anonymous says:

      Absolutely brilliant post

    • Anonymous says:

      GREAT <HARDCORE QUESTIONS

       

      Yes in this society  some  of us PArents have GOT TO STOP  the DENIAL !!

      We have got to STOP SAYING " My son did not do that" Do many mothers especially have got their HEAD stuck WAY IN THE SAND

      When they see their   child at risk, or with Voilent tendences . We have got to then look it painfully in the face and say " My child need  help"

      Let me anonlymously reach out for help if I have to do that

      But too many parents are  brusihing the problem under the carpet 

       

      We are ALL responsible for society —-   To many Policemenare simply collecting a Salary

      Look at the increases in teh Police Budget over the last several years

      There is too many there that is simply doing it fror the salary at the end of the month

      PREACHERS——  Why isn't  churches having mentorship , Classes that can help 

      mentor young men into a wholesome life style with Carreer skills and respect for women 

      and families

      Why  r so many churches just sitting there and talking about the other  church instead of the pastors  ADDRESSING THE issue of YOung men. Because too many young men have no fathers. 

  9. Anonymous says:

    Quote taken from 10:15 — "Civil society has lost control in Jamaica" …. how far away are we from losing civil control here? Unfortunately, our present government is contributing to the problem instead of rectifying it!    As a society, we need to step up to the plate and take control of the situation.  Don't wait for government or police … we need to do it OURSELVES.

  10. Alex says:

    I knew this guy through middle school to present.

    Intelligent, charasmatic and funny all describe some of the many characteristics that made him a great human being.

    We will miss you dearly

    • Anonymous says:

      i was a teacher in the school system you mention and I don't – alas –  recognise your description ( 'intelligent, charismatic and funny") of this young man. Perhaps you were thinking of another person with a similar name?

      • Alex says:

        No sir/madam, I do speak of the one and only Robert Bush!

        Perhaps if he was neither of these things i speak of (in your opinion that is) then a little effort by the school to help him might have gone a long way.FYI- Robert and I shared many classes together over the years(I was a set 1 student)

        Point is he was a great friend with great potential who slipped and slide down the wrong way.

        Im sorry u didnt get to know him, he really was one of a kind

        Cheers to the life of my friend ! We will never forget you.

        Class of 2000

         

  11. Anonymous says:

    Since the court systems won't convict the Thugs and make them serve time maybe they will lock up the Thugs to protect them from retaliation

  12. Anonymous says:

    Dead man tell no tales. I feel so sad for this country!

  13. Anonymous says:

    Live by the Sword…..Die by the Sword

    • Anonymous says:

      Live by the Sword….. Die By the Sword……

      Do You Know how you're gonna go?

      NO!!! No One KNOWS!!!!!!!!

      What happened to the Innocent woman coming from her work at the Gas Station in BT?

      She was an Innocent woman, & she could have been killed!

      People need to Stop & think before they speak!!!!

       

  14. Concerned Caymanian says:

    I don't really care if the thugs shoot each other – as long as innocent people are not caught in the crossfire.

    • Anonymous says:

      Let's hope you don't drive the same kind of car as a thug and/or happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

    • Anonymous says:

      Well they are getting caught up in the crossfire – look at the innocent young 4 year old boy who was murdered.  I do care.  I wish we knew (beyond doubt as opposed to through speculation and gossip) who all these people were, so we could put them into a sealed room and let them all shoot each other – then perhaps we can have peace on the streets again.

  15. Brac Booby says:

    To 10:16

     

    You could not have said it any clearer or better. My sympathy to the families of this ypung man and lady. We as Caymanians need to take our island back. Our young Caymanian men are killing out each other over stupid things in life. Like you said, may we need to send them to Mexico or even Jamaica to see what a Gangster really is, half them would cry before they even get out of the plane begging to come home. Some innocent person is going to ger kill just like little precious Jeremiah did. May his soul rest in peace.

    • Anonymous says:

      There are family members who know all about this and the whole retaliation thing. Never going to tell the police though.

  16. Anonymous says:

    These young men surely need guidance!! Tit 4 tat solves nothing just leaves families devastated. Regardless of the circumstances no one has the right to kill. Its clear from Cayman Compass that this man was charged with a crime near a night club where a man was assaulted. Why was he granted bail then? If you live by the gun you will die by the gun. These young men need to learn that the bad man lifestyle is not the way to go. At the end of the day God is in charge and he knows why this young man's life was taken. 

  17. Anonymous says:

    10.11 what i would like is for the police to start solving these crimes how many more funds is needed for that????

  18. Anonymous says:

    I had a feeling something like this was coming up.  I know nothing about the people or circumstances surrounding it, just a gut feeling that recent court decisions might lead to this.  And I fear its not over yet – again, purely based on gut instinct.

     

    • Anonymous says:

      He was charged with assualt and grevious bodily harm. Why was he allowed on the streets?? 

      • Anonymous says:

        I have no idea.  As I said I do not know the people or circumstances surrounding this death, and I am not in the police or justice system.  I do know that there are plenty of people walking the streets on similar, if not worse charges – anyone with a brain can see that – the young 4 year old who was murdered and yet nobody has been jailed for that, all the murders last year – is anybody in jail for that?  The young ladies who have gone missing – is anyone in jail for that?  This is what leads me to say I had a gut instinct that there is going to be more trouble.

      • Anonymous says:

        He was not. He was charged with an assualt, where the victim was drunk and has been in many fights before, conflicting evidence and not a clear case by any means, we must not forget that we are innocent until proven guilty.

        • Anonymous says:

          The Cayman Compass said different.

          "The Caymanian Compass spoke with Mr. Bush’s family members who told the newspaper they believed the Tuesday night shooting was done in retaliation for an attack in late July that occurred in the vicinity of a West Bay bar known as Club Inferno. 

          Mr. Bush was one of three men charged in connection with that incident. Police officers said a man was assaulted outside the club by a group of suspects who struck him on the head with a bottle and threatened him with a firearm. Theinjured man from the July attack was taken to hospital for treatment and survived. "

           

          A lot of cases aren't clear and have contradicting evidence but those accused are in jail! MY QUESTION REMAINS THE SAME WHY WAS HE NOT IN JAIL??? fair is fair!

  19. Whodatis says:

    I only hope that our young Caymanian guys are paying attention.

    Whereas you may escape a "guilty" verdict in a court of law, or if you're "lucky" you may merely face a relatively comfortable existence in Northward Prison – there is however today a very strong chance of you receiving a hot, fast-moving piece of metal in your body if you make the decision to live a certain lifestyle.

    Guys, the bad-man approach is no way to spend your young days.

    You are young, you are blessed with energy, innovation, potential and dreams! Don't throw it all away by taking the lazy way out.

    Don't you get it? Anyone could do the things that you do. There is no honor is such a lifestyle.

    The "respect" and "love" that you receive by the guys and girls that surround you are both fickle and fake.

    The minute that your 'baby-mudda' snaps back to reality at age 23-25 she will suddenly regard you as a worthless piece of crap that she should have never gotten with in the first place. (Yes – I see the irony but that is the way it is.)

    Your "bredrens" will all either be dead, turned sworn enemies, or locked away behind bars.

    (The thing that perplexes me the most about what is happening within the younger generation of Cayman, is that these guys that are busy shooting, stabbing and killing themselves in our streets all have (multiple) girlfriends and 'baby-muddas' that work in our offices and white collar industries.

    My point of raising that issue is that there appears to be no peer-leveled societal detterence or resistance against our young men getting involved in a criminal lifestyle. Young males will ALWAYS strive to do whatever attracts the females, and it appears as if "thuggery" is one of the strongest aphrodisiacs for many of our young females today.)

    Fellas, there is alot to be gained in this life by following your own path.

    Be a leader of your own destiny.

    The "crowd" usually tends to be heading in the wrong direction. I am not saying that each and every one of you ought be headed to college and working as a banker thereafter – but a life of crime is NOT the way to go … especially in these times.

    You have a choice to make. You can either pay attention to these words on your screen right now or end up nothing more than words on a crappy $10.00 T-shirt … "In Loving Memory of … "

    What is it gonna be?

    Good luck.

    *At this moment I have no idea as tothe identity of the deceased and my words are very general in nature. Condolences to the family and friends.

    • Anonymous says:

      Good God, Whodatis, I am wholly in agreement with you and give you an enthusiastic thumbs up. And I am one who stalks you with theChagos thing when you become silly. Great post.

  20. Anonymous says:

    Really!! What do these lil wannabe gangsters’s know about hard life and ghetto living besides what they watched on TV.  And what the hell do they know about GAZA.  DO they even know where the real GAZA is!  Round the lil cowards with guns up and send them to Gaza where they can fight a real war along side of REAL soldiers that are fighting for a purpose.  All this is so senseless. I bet half of them cannot even spell Afghanistan much less know where Gaza is. I have friends that have fought in the war there and I resent the way this is used by these cowards, making a mockery of the people who have lost their lives fighting to protect our freedom while these fools without a cause, run around here with their faces masked hiding but want to call themselves soldiers. Soldiers of what?!!  What is your purpose?!  What are you fighting over!?! Girls, turf! What turf, you all probably don’t even own anything but a gun and living on your, parents, grandparents or girlfriends property.
     

     It makes me so sick to know us hardworking and honest living people are suffering because of this nonsense. What I hate even more, is knowing that their families and friends are protecting them.  I have a teenage son and I will be damned if I allow him to EVER take this path in life.  And yes, I would turn him in if he was.  People, stop being foolish.  If you know something that could help solve or even prevent these crimes, SAY IT for God’s sake!! 
     

    I don’t know this young man I don't know if he was without fault  but I know he is someone’s child, father, brother etc.. And if we don't start doing the right thing, our own father, brother or whoever could be killed in the crossfire, innocently like that poor young baby boy whose death went unjustified. How many more have to fall for nonsense. Get a life, get a job, get some goals and be better than this!!  This is not the ghetto or the gully so stop trying to turn it into one. 

    The good, honest, peaceful and hardworking people of this country want to live the good life that we work hard for. We want to raise our children without fear of senseless violence. We want to be able to walk our streets like we used to without some thug trying to rob us of our earnings. 

    These thugs do not need to be "rehabilitated", they need to be punished for their crimes!  Since they want to live a ghetto life, send them to a prison in Mexico or Columbia etc.. where they can bask in all its 'glory'.. Stop sending them on vacations to Northward ( well, when the courts can actually manage to convict these thugs that is) and having us pay for their stay.

    I am a Caymanian. I will be here till the day I die and hopefully that will be of natural causes and not by the sword of a fool.

     My Prayers are with the family and the young lady who was also injured during this terrible tragedy.

     

     

     

     

     

    • Anonymous says:

       

      AMEN!!!  Take note.  And parents, raise your children with respect.  Teach your kids to respect others and most of all themselves. Be a role model. Lead by example. Let them know that altho these terrible things are happening around them, they do not have to be a part of it and to quote this blogger "be better than this"..  Educate your children, love them and dicipline them when necessary. Push them to do positive and cunstuctive things with their lives.

      Young people, "thug life" is no life. It will leave you dean, locked up or in a position to make you wish you were dead. There is a big world out there full of opportunities and things worth living for. Seize yours and be what God created you to be. Honor yourselves and your neighbor.

  21. John The Baptist says:

    It is NOW time to call in Reneto Adams of Jamaica.  Feared by all gunmen including the most notorious ones, even feared by the Jamaican Government and Force. This unique retired police officer is known for cleaning up the bad man and then ask questions. He is the real BADMAN Policeman.  Give him 12 months and then roll him out. He could coach Cayman Police Force how to combat crime.  It is such a pity Jamaica forced him into early retirement.  Excerpts from one of his interviews.

      “You have to be firm. You have to use some force where it is necessary and you have to know how to use it. Civil society has lost control in Jamaica, so you have to have a firm strong personality [referring to the job of Police Commissioner] who knows strategy and tactic and who knows how to contend with the criminal elements”.

  22. Anonymous says:

    Why would the police waste money on lights for a couple of times a year when the Fire Department – who are also another government department – have all the equipment ready for their role.  Not like it was doing anything else.  Be more of an issue if they spent several thousand dollars on duplicating equipment.

    • Anonnymous says:

      All is necessary is for our street lights (also need more of them) to have the special "day light" lighting.  They are so bright it is like daylight.

  23. Bobs uR Uncle says:

    Sounds like more of a execution than a random killing. Is this the start of a turf war heating up? Drugs, territory and easy money is the driving force for gangs and they need to be stepped on hard so not to flourish.

  24. Anonymous says:

    Why am I CCTV camaras installed by banks, business places, commercial places in town, and not at well populated communities and secluded areas like Pedro Castle. This area in West Bay is renown for serious criminal activity. At this junction there should be a CCTV camara… or at least place one at the West Bay park, facing the birch tree hill road, or put one nearby Kelly's bar. Police is slow at capturing these criminals; technology has to be used. It seems like CCTV's are being installed at the wrong places. Anika Baker went missing, her car was found by Pedro Castle… no CCTV was there. Why? 

    • Anonymous says:

      Birch Tree Hill by Capt Joe and Osbert seems like a resaonable location, but Pedro Castle? really? I wasn't aware that is a high crime area.

      There were some tourists robbed at a secluded spot by Barefoot Beach in East End. Shall we put cameras there? How about the area near the East End Prison Farm where Sabrina Schirn was  was found? What about the West Bay dike roads where Estella Scott Roberts was found? There is nothing going on at these locations the vast majority of the time but sadly serious crimehas affected these places at one point or another.

      There is a limited budget. Tough choices have to be made as to how many cameras to place at a particular location, the capability of the cameras at each site, and which sites to install cameras. If money was no object then perhaps we could just cover the entire 100 sq miles of Cayman with CCTVs.

      • B.T. says:

        well sir… we are suppose to have 300 plus cctv camaras install, i can't see why some can be placed in the outer districts

        • alex says:

          Because they will be torn  or perhaps shot down !

          Hope thats a real enough answer for you.

          fyi-I live in west bay and can confirm the invisibility of our police service in respect to patroling  problamatic streets and roads.

           

           

      • Anonymous says:

        seems to me some cameras on the dyke roads would be loaded with good material

    • B.T. says:

      Friend, it is all about the money, colonialism, protecting folk like dart and ryan – and NOT about the people. You will see what I am talking about in the next ten years… if we last that long.

    • truth says:

      Same reason there isn't one in your living room.

  25. #NOconsequences says:

    As long as people who kill keep being found not guilty (for whatever reason) in a court of law- there  will always be killings!

    • Anonymous says:

      When narrow legality diverges from justice, then you are in big trouble.

  26. Anonymous says:

    Another young man has lost his life condolences to his family as a parent i know this must  be killing them inside. On Another note why is the government wasting time giving the police more funds when  theres a Crime like murder they have to call on the Fire Dept to provide them with lights on the scene this in not one or two time i have witness this they show up linger around and then sings out they need to wait for lights ARE you serious with the funds thats given to them they cant afford to purchase spot lights what does the fire dept have to do with murder . McKeeva STOP WASTING us the tax paying people money of this country on this dept till they can prove they deserve to have it.

    • Anonymous says:

      Additional lighting allows for a more thorough search of the scene at night.  Street lights don't provide enough light. Hand-held lights are nowhere near as powerful and tie up the use of the hands of the user.

      So…  what difference does it make whether it is the fire department or police department who has the lights? The call would go the same way, to either the police or fire department. The responding agency tows the lighting unit to the scene and hooks them up. Probably need a truck for that – something the police have few of but the fire department does have. Would you rather we buy separate lights and a couple extra trucks for the police?

       

       

       

  27. Anonymous says:

    This is sad as it is clear that the cycle of  violence will likely return to compound the robbery problem.

    Commisioner please get the serious crimes task force out of the office, before something happens, not after it happens. Believe it or not you need local/caribbean officers who know these people. It is a shame that Sgt. Mason was moved before he even got started.

    Condolences to the family.

  28. Anonymous says:

    When are we going to realize. Dead is DEAD! These sorts of events are spawned from the deepest depths of pure evil.

    Someone has taken it upon themselves to end the life of another individual. When will the magnitude of this settle into our small society?

    Have we become immune/desensitized to this or are we just quietly thankful that it was a loved one belonging to someone else and not us?

    Evil is strangling our island slowly but surely. We bury our heads in the sand at our own peril.

    • Mary says:

      But we worship a god who damns decent non-believers to eternal torture.  Gangsters only kill you and usually for a more rational reason.  Millions to hate-mongers in pulpits?  We live in glass houses.

  29. EYE ON THE ISLAND says:

    If Mac wanted to really show the Nation that he truly supports Public Safety, he would hold an anti crime rally in his home district and address the Nation and ask all citizens to inform on the known criminals with a tip line to the Police Crime Unit. Mac get out front on the issue lead or continue to follow.

    • Anonymous says:

      It is not just about what Mac or Alden should do, it's about all of us and those of us that have information about these crimes but are not stepping forward with it.  This is also our country and we must take responsibilty for it and ourselves. Stop protecting the criminals and start doing whatever we can to protect it and our children.

  30. Anonymous says:

    Here we go again another sad day in the Cayman Islands!!!!