Barbados: Gunmen on motorcycles open fire in St Michael, killing 24-year-old Gavin Archer

Barbados: In a shocking incident which took place in Barbados, four men travelling on two motorcycles rode along Whitehall Main Road St. Michael at its junction with St. Stephens Hill and discharged a number of shots. This latest fatality brings Barbados’ homicide count to 26 for the year 2025. 

The incident on Sunday, June 22, 2025, claimed the life of one individual in the area of St. Stephens Hill and injured another along Whitehall Main Road. 

Police reported that the deceased in the fatal shooting has been identified as 24-year-old Gavin Nicholas Archer, a resident of Well Gap Cave Hill St Michael. The identification was made by one of victim’s relatives.  

Reportedly, the victim died just meters from his residence after he was gunned down by unknown assailants around 2:48 pm. He along with another victim was rushed to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital however Archer succumbed to his injuries on the way.  

Preliminary investigations revealed that the gunmen opened fire in the air, damaging buildings, fatally killing one and injuring another. 

Following the incident, a neighbour recalled hearing around 20 gunshots in the area on Sunday. Meanwhile, the deceased is being remembered as a kind, helpful and a quiet soul who loved to listen to music and his younger brother was too shocked to speak anything.  

The incident has sent shockwaves across the country with locals and police officials voicing their concerns and vowing to punish these attackers. The authorities are now checking the CCTV cameras in the area to identify the suspects and bring justice to the victim.  

During an official press conference, Commissioner of Police Richard Boyce stated that his team is closing in on the men responsible for the murder of Gavin Nicholas Archer and Sunday’s Nelson Street shooting spree. 

He warned that the police have declared “open war” on violence in communities and will act decisively to combat all forms of domestic terrorism.