CI$50k reward offered in murder cases
(CNS): Police have now confirmed that the victim in last Thursday’s fatal shooting at Vic’s Bar was Wayne Eron McLean (26) from Bodden Town. He is the second person to die in a recent spike of gun violence that has also seen around a dozen people injured. Mark Andre Ebanks (36) was killed in Martin Drive on 1 July and Cayman Crimestoppers is now offering up to $50,000 for information leading to a conviction in either case.
Police said Monday that two other victims from the incident remain in hospital, and the man who was in critical condition in the immediate wake of the killing is recovering from what are now considered serious but non-life-threatening wounds. One woman is also being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Detectives investigating these two murders are appealing to anyone who may have been at Vic’s Bar at about 1:45am on Friday morning to come forward.
“We often can establish what happened at the scene of a major crime and can arrest individuals we believe to be involved, but without evidence and witness statements we cannot charge individuals or prove cases,” said Detective Superintendent Peter Lansdown. “This is why it’s vital we receive the community’s support. Victim and witness statements are the main requirement of a successful prosecution. We strongly urge anyone who has any information, no matter how seemingly minor, to speak up, and not assume that someone else will,”
He pointed out that even the smallest detail could be the key that allows police to identify those involved, prosecute them, and remove them from the streets.
“There are multiple ways to submit information, and there are measures that can be put in place to ensure the safety of anyone who comes forward,” he said. “It is only with your help that we can ensure that we keep our communities safe.”
Although the RCIPS had revealed earlier this year that it was no longer working with Crimestoppers, that relationship has resumed and Lansdown said that people could submit tips anonymously through the Crimestoppers website but not by calling, as the number has been disbanded.
Cayman Crimestopper Board Chairman Sebastien Guilbard said that anyone with information about these crimes can leave a tip on the Cayman Crimestoppers website, which is monitored through a Miami-Based centre, and could earn the CI$50,000 reward.
“This can be done without giving a name or any identification, and an auto-generated number will be the only reference provided in the event of a reward being issued,” he explained.
However, historically such rewards have rarely made a difference in crime investigations in Cayman. Earlier this year the police revealed that tips to Crimestoppers had fallen off to almost zero, and only one tip was received in the whole of 2020.
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Category: Local News
By looking at the picture of this young man he doesn’t appear to know much about guns. This looks like a saw-off shot gun. If you ever shot one once, you would know it takes two hands to shoot it without getting hurt. So I would say someone gave him to take a picture.
How do you know that rewards rarely made a difference in crime in Cayman? This is the kind of baseless opinionated reporting that I do not like about CNS. You are incorrect and I know this to be a fact.
It seems the picture was taken out of context is the issue which is unfair and invited many comments here suggesting this was an illegal firearm in Cayman. Also, prob not the best photo for the call to action being shared. It should have been noted that this was the legal gun of a security guard who protected the murder victims place of business in the Dominican Republic. Many young men like my brother in the US take pictures with guns and while legally hunting etc. That doesn’t make them a thug… But Black men can’t take pics with guns I guess in case they’re ever murdered and then blamed for taking a cheeky photo with a legally owned firearm. Not saying anything else as I personally did not know the victim but felt the need to share some context after ascertaining additional facts.
Great story.
Why did it take so long to make it up and post it here?
I inquired and asked around because like many, I was curious where the photo was taken. This was the info that was shared with me from someone close to the RCIPS who was looking into it. Turns out they own this very business overseas where this gun is legal and used by the Security guard (so I was told but am open to other facts or stories that come to light). If you know where the photo was taken in Cayman and can dispute the report I was given, then please do share with us!
Srsly, why does anyone care? How does the location of this picture affect anybody’s price of rice? Either you have information about the crime or you don’t. Either you want to help or you don’t but taking time out of your day to inquire about a picture of a murdered stranger that has absolutely nothing to do with you is WEIRD. The amount of amateur detectives and the presumptuous comments are disturbing.
Judging from the comments, Everybody knows it all. Everybody has the solution, everybody knows if this picture was incriminating or not ….ffs get a hobby or go join the rcip.
That picture looks like a business. An aesthetic salon of some sort?? Anyone else feel the same?
Who owns it?
Yeah there’s a swimsuit on a mannequin in the mirror there, definitely a business
I was told that it’s at a business/salon in the DR that they own. The gun was legal and owned by the security guard of the victims establishment is what was shared with me.
And that makes exactly what difference to the image he was trying to project? None I would say.
Well an image and an actual criminal act are 2 different things. I’m not saying the photo is ideal, just that it allegedly wasn’t taken in Cayman so therefore would not be an illegal gun crime as many are assuming and stating as if it’s a fact. I also don’t believe that because someone looks a certain way that they deserve to be murdered. Similar to as a woman’s dress not excusing her rapist. I would need a lot more info other then one photo of this young man before drawing any kind of concrete conclusions.
You’re comparing holding a gun and putting it on social media to wearing a dress? SMH.
He only put it up on social media (and apparently his sister has also used the picture) to make himself look ‘cool’.
Why do people always look for ways of excusing actions of others?!
I am a very proud Caymanian woman with a teenage son. Out of the staggering size of our current population we as Caymanians are already a minority in our own Country. We import an educated and/or wealthy class to work in the financial industry and they move rapidly through the system to become the new wealthy Caymanian. I therefore beg and implore our young Caymanians, please, please don’t throw your lives away as though your life is worth nothing. Please don’t forfeit your lives and give up your destiny in your own home. Killing one another or selling drugs to one another surely can never be the right way for you or for your own community. You don’t need to pick up arms to fight for your education, fight for quality of life for you and your children and to find your rightful place in your own Islands. Please! We need you young men to do the right thing for our collective future. I know we can’t go back to the way things use to be but this surely can be the way forward. Our young people have been deceived into thinking smoking marijuana and gang warfare is the way to find respect. It’s a lie and it’s robbing all of us of what made Cayman amazing – our own people.
Just watch the documentary on Ghost Guns.
Regardless of what Wayne was involved in, legal or illegal, I do agree that using pictures like the one used for this article doesn’t encourage the public to view him as anything other than a “gangster”, which makes it harder for people to want his killer found. In a sense, it does vilify the victim, and makes it seem as though his murder just “wasn’t as bad” or it was warranted.
He wanted everyone to know he was a gangster!
Well, now we know.
A picture of him in a full suit outside church would fit nicely with the narrative being promulgated on Friday morning that he was just an innocent bystander.
If the shoe fits…
WTH??? “which makes it harder for people to want his killer found”
LMFAO Why would I NOT want another gangster murderer to be found???
Idiot. You are a complete idiot.
Speak for yourself!… You are not “people”! You are an individual… You are singular!… Thankfully you can only be one “A-hole*
Lol It looks like you are in the minority on this one…
Check the rest of the posts/comments/thumbs
But that’s okay. You just keep doing you. And I’ll keep being a A-hole that is still living and breathing.
The guns got to be coming from somewhere. Follow the gun
Sorry, but that isn’t possible in this case.
Just like Miami, the only way to get people to say what they know, is to pay them large sums of money, Sad but true,
Haha viscious cycle brother but it dont cost much in cayman although these kids who believe in this so called not snitching on people who probably dont like them deep down anyways
This is a disgusting pattern of CNS villainizing the victims of murder/shooting and our young caymanian men. Of ALL of his photos, this is the one you chose? If you knew him, you’d know he wasn’t a “thug” or anything of that nature. He surely never “lived by the sword” Photos like these feed into a disappointing stereotype that’s been present for decades who ever wrote this and chose this photo should be ashamed of themself. I will NEVER be using this site again.
Maybe don’t post photos of yourself with guns?
How many photos of you posing proudly with a gun are there Olivia? Its not the sort of thing normal nice people do. I’ve never seen a gun, don’t know anyone with a gun. If you publish photos of you posing with a gun, it shows the sort of person you are, or want to be.
Holding a shotgun in what appears to be some private room? I cannot understand the context for that but you know more than the rest of us it seems. I can understand when people travel to the US and go to the ranges to have some fun, no harm there. But what do you expect someone to infer from a photo like this. Making a photo like this public generally speaks to the character of someone, but this is the reason why you are clearly upset.
I like sport shooting and love the skill and discipline handling a firearm requires, but never will you see my taking photos with me and any firearm to display anywhere on social media.
I can understand the loss suffered here, however you are upset at the picture chosen here but I believe this is important to discuss. Why does a picture like this even exist?
Not only is it a shotgun, it is an illegal one even in the US. Sawed off barrel and a hand stock make it useful only for shooting people.
And agouti
Yeah. With the stock sawn off. Right.
Neither the stock nor the barrel is sawed off.
It’s a Mossberg, it’s a police issued pistol grip pump shotgun definitely made to kill humans and definitely made in the USA.
How do you know this, Anon 1:26 pm?
Because my head isn’t stuck up my ass Anon 2:32pm.
Notice the little bead at the end of the barrel? It wasn’t sawed off. That is probably a tactical shotgun, possibly a Mossberg. Not that it matters in this context, except that it probably wasn’t illegal in the U.S.
Without a firearms licence here, it is illegal regardless of the configuration.
Probably not illegal in the US? Well for one it would depend on which state, but given some of them allow full automatic ( the weapon used at Vics would have been legal in some states ) that’s a pretty low bar. More fundamental point is that it was sure as shoot illegal here.
Full auto is not legal anywhere in the US.
Fully automatic rifles are legal in the US if made before 1986. There are over 600k fully automatic weapons currently in circulation of US gun owners.
I’m caymanian living in the USA and that’s not illegal that’s a mossberg! And I own one!
And you use it for hunting no doubt 😉. Hand stocks and pump action, well known civilian applications. No doubt have it in the wall next to your AR 15.
Yes I do actually have it next to the AR!
But pistol never leaves my lap😘
The reason why that young man is posing is That young people believe it’s cool at that age when you don’t really have access to guns!
What are they supposed to show a picture of him in his Sunday best. Because he’s such a “good guy”. Is what it is….gangster life.
U a single mom?
Ignorant.
Stop swearing for people, you don’t know what ANYBODY is really mixed up in. It’s not like CNS photoshopped it.
That said I don’t see what is achieved by posting pictures of ANY victims on a “news” site but the way humans are wired, sensationalism gets clicks and clicks get coin. Right or wrong, it’s weird, it’s human nature.
I understand that places of business getting shot up is not a regular occurrence in Cayman (aka newsworthy) but people die everyday b. Is this article in particular really news or just space filler to give people something to click for a little dopamine rush?
as far as violent crime in general goes in Cayman, we have to really consider how fast we want to grow our population. It’s inevitable that as it grows, we will see an increase in everything criminal. It’s just how people and societies work. In my humble opinion I think we need to look at development more holistically if we are going to have any success in keeping crime at an objectively manageable level. Ie physical infrastructure development has to be balanced with social infrastructure.
You will never get rid of crime entirely but the planet is full of examples of experiments that we can learn from in an attempt to minimize it.
My two cents.
Do you think having the death penalty for people carrying illegal weapons would reduce the number of people carrying illegal guns?
It sure would!
I think reality speaks for itself.
Jurisdictions that utilize capital punishment are not crime free.
It’s an archaic concept and it does not seem to be the most effective solution based on historical evidence. And considering how easily people are corrupted, nah. You can’t bring someone back to life after evidence is found exonerating them.
For example. Let’s say someone (maybe a corrupt law enforcement officer) dislikes you and plants a gun in your possession and you are executed for it. Is your wrongful execution worth the amount of people that the death penalty might discourage? An amount that we can’t even begin to quantify… Not in my opinion. We can figure out something more effective and less risky.
You’re right, just deport them and lock them up abroad for 30 odd years. Losers.
My two cents – to a criminal who has Rape or Killed someone Etc. and convicted in a court of law for that crime – May I ask – Do you think having the death penalty makes any difference to the these criminal Animals – I don’t think so
To a harden criminal they couldn’t care less about someone being executed
Until they bring back Corporal Punishment where they take these criminal animals in the court yard and Cane their ASS by a Professional Caner every three months in front of the population of the prison
I know this will not go off well with the Human Rights Committee
I say this with NO RESERVATION and have NO APOLOGY to make even if it was my son or daughter
I want to live in the Cayman Islands as the way it once was
CRIME FREE
Why you people don’t like to face reality
If RCIPS are able to solve these recent spats of gun violence among other high-end crimes, then and only then might the general public put their faith back into believing that this institution is out to serve and protect us.
The half of rcips that aren’t incompetent at solving crimes are likely involved in them. They have no intention of “solving” these crimes that they help create.
Ask them how many guns go missing, or how much weed they have left from the last few busts. Oh right, they “burn” it. 😂
10 54? Don’t start with the crap of trashing police!!!!!
We need the police to keep order.
Just great, people with guns walking around with impunity. Time for all guns to be banned. It’s quite clear the licence system isn’t working.
just an FYI guns don’t kill people, people kill people.
Well yes and no. Bad people will certainly find it easier to kill with a gun than without one. And guns find their way into the hands of bad people.
Idaho has the highest gun ownership per capital in the United States (probably the world) and one of the lowest crime rates and gun violence rates. It has a fraction of the rate of gun violence as Cayman per capita where guns are totally illegal. Go figure.
Potato potato
In 2019, 255 Idahoans died by gun violence, an average of more than five people every week. Suicides were 87% of the gun deaths and homicides were 7%, go figure
This is such an annoying NRA talking point. Of course the person pulling the trigger is the murderer but if the criminal was to just throw a gun at you I can say you most likely would not die.
No gun, it will be a knife. No knife it will be a hammer, rake, machete, pitchfork, rock, fists.
You can look to big countries who have strict gun policies such as the UK and China. The issue for them now is knives. In good ol communist china, you have to apply for the right to buy and own a kitchen knife, because they have so many mass stabbings. In the UK, knife crimes took flight in the last 2-3 years and they were considering the same restrictions as China.
Taking the tools away doesn’t stop people from being evil. It only prevents the innocent from defending themselves.
You will achieve nothing by thinking you can remove access to something and make people change their ways. The issue is the way of the people. Address that and you will actually enstill change.
And it would save ammunition too!
So we went from annoying (but true) talking point to a more annoying and idiotic talking point.
………….just a tired old cliche.
Tired….. yes, but still true.
@8:48 let me finish your sentence. “People kill people”….with guns.
Unfortunately, coward bad people are armed and the unarmed good citizens are sitting ducks.
That’s just a dumb statement made up by the NRA,of course guns kill people, there are many cases where guns have fallen from people and hit the ground and discharged and kill people also what about kids that find their parents guns and it accidentally went off.
Anyways stop trying to justify your BS and ban all firearms legal and illegal.
If you didn’t know, guns are already illegal. Police have legal guns. Farmers have legal guns. The police know who has legal guns. I bet you won’t hear about any of the legal gun owners being held at gun point in their homes.
But most of the mass shootings in America was done by legal firearms and people legal to carry them.
And all of the shootings here are by people using illegal guns.
Only law enforcement should have guns in Cayman!
What ferocious wild animals threatens the Farmers lives, and livelihood? Parrots?
You take care of your comments and I’ll take care of mine, 1:37 pm. I don’t think the cops are going to like your idea to ban their weapons………… but the thieves and robbers wouldn’t give a hoot !
How do you know the gun used was a licensed firearm? If you have actual knowledge you should be talking to the police. If not, maybe you could use your psychic abilities to predict the stock market and a make a few million for yourself.
How many criminal cases in Cayman have ever involved a legally-owned firearm? I’ll tell you: None. Ever. Stop talking rubbish.
Why don’t you ask that question about America.
I dare say the guns used in MOST of the crimes on Island are NOT legally registered or licensed firearms. We need to stop the importation of the illegal firearms entering CI.
What licence system? How many Caymanians have a licence to carry?
No license to carry exists. You can only store your gun in a locked safe at home and transport it to the gun club if you are a member.
That’s an oddball notion, imo. People who legally acquire firearms through a formal licence NEVER are involved in gun crime. There was one case years ago where a man who had a firearms licence shot and killed a home intruder. Fine with me. The home intruder took his own chances, and recently we’ve had cases of people being injured by home invaders.
Point is that criminals rejoice when ALL guns are banned. The criminals don’t use legal means to acquire their guns, and ALL legal gun owners are required to keep their firearms in a gun safe. When you take away all the guns, the criminals win, because they will always acquire guns through illegal means.
You say that because? You think the guns involved in this were licences? Because if they were illegal, then how would it make any difference banning the legally held guns? SMH.
“Live by the gun…” NM, you know the rest.
RCIPS, is one of those tools legal to wave openly in your girlfriends struggling business establishment?
I know nothing about the man and may be wrong, but this picture and the one posted by Marl Road suggest he saw himself as a gangster.
Play stupid games …
He sold weed. Was actually a nice guy
So he was a drug dealer then. Drug dealers are not nice guys. Their illegal activities lead to the decline in society, gang culture, and the bringing of guns onto the island – which he clearly glorified.
In relation to cannabis, prohibition leads to all that you just described.
This is such a dumb statement. You know what else ships illegally with weed many times? That’s right, illegal guns. Usually these guns track all the way back to Haiti or elsewhere even though they may have smuggled from neighbor countries. So your point is moot and should educate yourself on illicit activities. A lot of these wanna be bad men scuff and war over control of weed and worst in their turf. Police know who they are so why they not kicking in their door?
So he trafficked illegal contraband that he can’t insure? How did he secure his investment? It’s not like if he got robbed he could call the feds. It’s safe to assume that anyone with money and time invested in something, would go to lengths to protect it right? If your investment is illegal and you protect it will illegal means, youre a gangster. Period. It doesn’t matter what you are selling or how nice you can be. Selling weed doesn’t make you a gangster…unless it’s illegal and unfortunately it is here.
Btw free up the weed. Considering it’s value, It shouldn’t be illegal contraband in the first place. Especially on an island where it’s so popular and prevalent. You’re effectively criminalizing a large swath of the population for something they can do legally a couple hours in almost any direction at this point.
Take prohibition in the 30s, all it did was allow The mafia to grow it’s business, encouraged the development of stronger distelled liquor for ease of smuggling,introduced America to new levels of alcoholism , and allowed polyester to compete with hemp.
I believe the same thing happens here. By criminalizing a common activity, you finance anybody willing to risk facilitating it. There’s a lot of money to be made in the cannabis industry in Cayman and some people are more willing than other to take risks. Those same risk takers are more likely to invest in illegal firearms and use them or put themselves in situations to have them used on themselves.
Considering the amount of people in Cayman that either sell weed full time or just to supplement their respectable 9-5, maybe some serious attention should be given to entrepreneurial courses and workshops directed at communities most likely to engage. Weed sells itself but with the proper guidance these people could be creating and selling other products that don’t put them in immediate danger.
We are all gangsters in our own ways!
Vics should have about 50 mandatory cameras installed or close it down…
Vic’s Bar just need to rebrand itself by changing the V to a D. Dic’s Bar is the place to be!
Lol. Dics bar. No homophobic “bad man” showing up there
While I do encourage anyone with information that might be helpful to come forward and assist the police I do also understand why people might be fearful about getting involved in any situation that has to do with criminals that have guns and criminals that are willing to use those guns to kill people without reservation.
There is no way that anybody is going to put their safety at increased risk for CI$50,000.00. It simply not worth it. Also, it should be said that there is really no way for the average person to submit a tip to a website without leaving an electronic trail that can be used to locate and identify them.
I think that the police will need to be more clear and detailed about how exactly someone will be able to guarantee their personal security and the security of their family if they come forward.
Crime Stoppers is answered in Miami and you can stay anonymous!!
All calls can be traced.
I’ve developed some software that allows anonymous calls via a QR code. Contacted crimestoppers to see if they are interested
The CrimeStoppers telephone is answered off island (in Miami – I believe) for this very reason. So you can leave a tip anonymously, collecting the reward might be more difficult but I expect they have actually thought about this as the program has been in place for a long time.
$50K is more money than I have ever had in my savings account. If I knew I would tell for that amount.
pic says it all.
Yep. And I’m guessing a Caymanian not a Jamaican as so many posters would like us to think.
The shooter is jamaican. Y’all are dunce.
Sounds like you know information that can assist the RCIPS in their investigation. Please think about submitting tips anonymously to help them.
Honduran
Live by the sword, die by the sword
It was a gun attack. No swords were used.
It’s a saying u idiot
But dassa gun…
So true. Sadly not only him but also the misguided female who took the pic in her interpretation of ‘real man!’