San Juan, Puerto Rico
AP
–
Three young men were killed and 10 were injured in popular night spots in the Turkish and Caicos Islands, what authorities call the first major shooting of British territory in recent history.
At least four suspects were involved in the shooting early Sunday on Providencial Islands, but none have been arrested, according to Police Chief Fitz Bailey, who called it “deeply intrusive.”
“We’re currently killing gangland-types. It appears that much of this gang violence is concentrated in the Haitian community,” Prime Minister Charles Washington Mythic told a news conference.
He called on Haitian communities to work with police, saying some of them knew how guns were smuggled into the Turkish and Caicos Islands.
“What’s going on here is different from what we’ve never seen before,” he said. “This is not a situation we should accept.”
The shooting comes as the archipelago cracks down on illegal immigrants.
An estimated 10,900 Haitians live in the Turkish and Caicos Islands, making up one third of the territory’s population. According to the UN Humanitarian Agency, approximately 80% of Haitians live in Providencial, and 20% have permanent residency.
Acting Gov. Anya Williams said the Providenciales hospital is being locked down to protect people being treated for injuries. She said at least two of the injured people flew abroad for further treatment.
