3 killed, 10 injured in mass shooting at Turks and Caicos nightclub

Three people were killed and ten others were injured when gunmen opened fire at a nightclub in the Turks and Caicos Islands, in what officials described as the territory’s first known mass shooting. Authorities believe the attack is linked to Haitian gang-related violence.

The shooting happened around 2:57 a.m. on Sunday at the Island Hookah Lounge, a popular venue on the island of Providenciales, according to The Sun, a local news outlet. Police responded to reports of gunfire and found multiple victims.

Three were pronounced dead at the scene, and ten others were taken to a local hospital with injuries ranging from minor to serious.

Commissioner of Police Fitz Bailey said CCTV footage showed at least four gunmen armed with high-powered weapons. While the motive remains under investigation, Bailey said authorities suspect the shooting is related to ongoing gang conflicts, particularly within the Haitian community in the territory.

“This was indiscriminate violence meant to incite fear,” Bailey said. He added that officers would maintain a heightened presence across the islands in response to the attack.

“We are now having a gangland-type slaying,” Premier Charles Washington Misick said. “A lot of this gang violence seems to be concentrated in our Haitian communities.”

Acting Governor Anya Williams confirmed the incident has been declared a national security critical event. She said the United Kingdom and the National Crime Agency had been notified, and that the hospital was placed on lockdown as a precaution.

The Turks and Caicos Islands are a British Overseas Territory located southeast of the Bahamas and north of Haiti. Officials said the shooting is the first known mass shooting to occur in the territory.