Acting premier Kyle Hodge has issued a plea to Anguilla’s young men to stop the shootings, urging them to think of their families, their futures, and the damage to the island’s reputation and sense of safety.
His appeal comes after an 18-year-old man was shot multiple times and a female tourist struck by bullet fragments at Blowing Point Ferry Terminal at about 3.40pm on 6 May.
The young man is still recovering at Princess Alexandra Hospital while the other victim was treated and later discharged.
Hodge voiced a public statement the same evening in which he said he expressed his sorrow over the incident and reaffirming the government’s support for those affected.
“On behalf of the government and people of Anguilla, I extend my heartfelt prayers to the victim and his family,” he said. “We stand with them during this painful time and pray for a full and swift recovery.
“To the bystander who came to our shores seeking peace and rest, only to be met with fear and harm, I want you to know that this is not us as a people, and we wish you a speedy recovery.”
A violation of values
The acting premier went on to condemn the gun violence, which he said has no place in Anguilla.
“This senseless act of violence has rocked the very soul of our island. It violates the values we hold dear as a peaceful and close-knit society,” he said.
“Whether you were working at the port, passing through as a resident, or visiting our island, our thoughts and prayers are with you.”
He said the government recognises the trauma this incident has caused, and will do everything in its power, alongside the Royal Anguilla Police Force, to ensure the public’s safety and well-being.
“Let me be clear, gun violence has no place in Anguilla. It is our collective duty as a government, as a community, and as a people to eliminate it from our shores,” he said.
A plea
Hodge directed a personal message to the island’s youth, urging them to choose a different path: “To our young men especially, I offer this heartfelt plea. Stop the shootings.
“When you harm another, you are not only hurting that individual; you are tearing apart families, traumatising communities, and destroying your own future.
“Each act of violence leaves a ripple effect across our island, one that touches grandparents, parents, siblings, cousins, friends, and neighbours. We are all one family. Enough is enough.
“The time to end this cycle is now. I know the problems run deep. I know some of you feel unheard and unsupported. But I want you to know you are not alone.”
He said the government is committed to supporting all citizens, adding that there is help out there, and a more positive way forward can be found.
“Let us together recommit to peace. Let us uphold our shared values of love, community, and respect for life. Let us protect Anguilla, the place we all call home.”
Listen to the statement in full below:
Two suspects
Police released images of two people believed to be connected to the shooting on 7 May.
The pictures show two masked individuals running away from the scene and carrying what appears to be handguns.
The first suspect is slim built and wearing all dark colours, including a mask, hat, hooded sweatshirt, trousers and shoes.
The second suspect also appears to be slim built, with a black mask and hooded sweatshirt. They are also wearing light trousers, dark socks and white trainers.
“As investigations continue, we are urging anyone who may recognise these individuals or have information that can assist police inquiries to come forward immediately,” a police statement said.
Anyone with information on criminal activity in Anguilla can call (264) 497-2333 or 497-5333, or leave an anonymous message, video or photo at secureaxa.com
Information from the website is stored in a secure location in California where access to it is tightly controlled.
A plea is not going to get it done. I’ve watched for over 20 years the beautiful island of Anguilla go from a safe sanctuary to visit, relax and and spend time with its greatest attribute its people, to this! The island’s current approach to managing the increasing crime on the island is a failure. The numbers are the numbers. While all of these new initiatives are great on paper, it’s time to step it up and elevate the policing of the island. For example, was there not police at the port of entry? This is not an impossible task. Let’s look at the math. There’s roughly 15,000 people who live on the island, slightly less than half are male. Of these males, only about 15% of the total population are 15 to 22 years of age or just over 2000 individuals (this seems to be the age of trouble from what I can gather). So the job of understanding who of these individuals on an island that is 16 miles long and 3 miles wide, shouldn’t be this hard. I’m not bringing my family back to this island until you guys get this stuff figured out.