Antigua: ABLP Rally Ends in Panic After Gunfire, PM Rules Out Political Motive

Antigua and Barbuda: A 28-year-old man from Grays Farm is hospitalized after a shooting near a political rally in Antigua and Barbuda. The incident took place soon after 1:00 am on April 26, along Queen Elizabeth Highway.

The victim was standing near Timmy Times when a silver car drove past him. Witnesses said that they heard several loud explosions. The man was shot during the incident. Several parked vehicles were also shot.

The police recovered a firearm and multiple spent shells at the scene. They also arrested two male suspects in connection to the shooting, as investigation remains active.

The shooting occurred while a large crowd was gathered at the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party’s Red and Ready concert at Rising Sun Grounds. Jamaican dancehall artist Masicka was performing during the time of the incident. Everybody started running around to save their lives when they heard the shooting.

According to the police, the shooting is not related to any gang activity. “The Police Administration wishes to reassure the public that based on information received so far, the incident is not gang-related, neither was it politically motivated, or connected to the event held at the Rising Sun Grounds last evening,” read the police statement on Sunday.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne also addressed the matter. He said that he is very shocked due to the incident and concerned about the people’s safety. “What occurred was an act of criminal violence, rooted in illegal guns and ongoing disputes, which intruded upon a public gathering. It has no place in our society,” noted the Prime Minister.

The leader of Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) reassured the public that the people responsible for the shooting will be brought to justice. “I condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the use of illegal firearms, gang activity, and any form of violence that endangers innocent lives and undermines the peace and stability of our nation,” he added.