victim

Described as quiet, humble, and deeply rooted in her faith, 48-year-old Tamika Cime was “a Christian, a God-fearing woman,” her family said, someone who kept to herself, but held her family close.

On Monday night in a quiet home on Wilton Street, Centerville, on what should have been an ordinary night, Tamika sat on her bed, laughing, talking, and sharing food with her mother.

In her arms was her one-year-old grandson.

Moments later, gunfire shattered their conversation.

A bullet tore through the home as a gunman chased another man nearby. When the shots rang out, Tamika’s mother, Christine Nottage, screamed for the children to get down.

Then came the silence.

“When I look at the baby in her hand, that’s when I realised she got hit,” Christine recalled to the Tribune. “The baby was full of blood… and the blood coming from under her.”

Tamika never let go.

She was the planner, organiser, the person who made sure everyone was ready whenever the family travelled. She was the one who thought ahead and cared.

At D.W. Davis Junior High School, where she worked as a tuck shop supervisor and janitress, her loss has left a deep wound.

“She was dedicated, loved, and respected,” the school shared. “Her untimely death has left us shattered.”

To those who knew her, Tamika was warm and consistent.

“She was a decent, genuine person,” said family friend Michael Hepburn. “They good people… don’t bother anyone. Always home.”

Her sister, Deja McDonald, called her “the epitome of humble.”

“I could not ask for a better big sister,” she wrote. “You were loving, caring, and devoted… inside and out.”

“This is truly a nightmare,” her sister said. “You didn’t deserve this… We will fight for you. Justice will take place.”

Fox Hill is grieving again, and the loved ones of Jenette “Netta” Thompson are struggling to come to terms with a loss that feels sudden, violent, and close to home.

The memories that remain make her death even harder to accept.

“I just saw you,” one friend wrote, still in disbelief. “When I got the news, I cried. My heart hurt. I just saw you Thursday… and Saturday evening.”

That sense of shock echoes.

Netta was remembered as “cool,” “down-to-earth,” and full of life.

She was killed Saturday, around 10:30 p.m. on Adderley Street in Fox Hill. According to reports, she had been sitting under a tree with several men when a former boyfriend called out to her. Moments later, she was shot and killed.

Now, friends are left with questions that have no easy answers.

“Why did he do that?” one asked.

For many, the grief is deeply personal.

“I will miss you at Fox Hill Day,” another friend shared. “You were the life of the party. It will not be the same.”

Tiska Mackey, in a post, said they had just been making plans.

“You told me you wanted to get away… that we could hang like old times,” she recalled, describing Netta as “a true friend” — more like a sister.

Others remember her generosity.

Just days before her death, Netta bought three drinks for a friend. A simple gesture that now carries weight.

“This can’t be real,” another friend wrote. “I just saw you yesterday… here today, gone today.”

In a home that should be filled with life and laughter, there is now a silence that his family cannot escape.

“The house feels empty, even though it is full,” his sister, Dakenya Lightbourne, said, carrying the weight of a loss that still does not feel real.

Kenric Strachan was only 24.

He was a father of two, with twins on the way this year, a future that his family says he was quietly preparing for. Though described as a private person, those closest to him say he was always happy, ready with a joke, always laughing.

He loved music. He loved cooking for his nephews. He loved to dress well and ride his motorcycle. And in his family, he was the last child, the one they watched grow up.

Now, they are planning his funeral.

Kenric was shot last week in the vicinity of his home on Mekel Close South in Bamboo Town. He had gone outside to retrieve baby items from his vehicle, when he was shot in the leg and side. He tried to run back inside.

He never made it.

For his family, the pain is not just emotional, but physical.

“This is making you not able to eat,” his sister said. “His mother is very weak.”

The shock has rippled beyond the home. Friends say they had just spoken to him days before, wishing him a happy birthday on March 25. Others remember seeing him riding his bike, unaware it would be the last time.

“We watched him grow up,” his family said.

Now they are left with questions, and his sister wants justice no matter how long it takes.

The decision to charge a senior police officer with murder in the fatal shooting of American Pike employee Cody Castillo has placed this case under an intense national spotlight — not just because of what happened, but because of how quickly it has moved.

For many Bahamians, the reaction has been immediate: Why does this case appear to be progressing with urgency, while other police-involved shootings involving Bahamian victims have taken longer or have not resulted in charges at all?

On the face of it, the arraignment signals a willingness by authorities to pursue accountability where evidence supports it. It suggests the legal system can act decisively, even when the accused is a senior officer.

But there is another interpretation, one shaped by comparison.

This case carries elements other cases do not. The victim is an American citizen, and the matter has drawn attention from the United States Embassy. That scrutiny has been swift, and with it, calls for transparency and justice.

Is this speed the result of strong evidence and due process working efficiently? Or is it, at least in part, a response to diplomatic pressure?

What we know 

• Superintendent Berneil Pinder has been charged with murder in connection with the fatal shooting of Cody Castillo.
• The incident occurred following what police describe as an altercation, with the officer claiming he feared for his life.
• Family and friends dispute that version, saying Castillo was not involved in any confrontation.
• The matter has drawn international attention, particularly from U.S. Embassy.
• The officer was formally arraigned before the Magistrate’s Court.

What happens next

• The case will proceed through the legal system, where evidence will be tested and examined.
• Investigations, both procedural and forensic, will shape whether the matter advances to trial.
• Ultimately, the courts will determine criminal liability or innocence.

Why this case is different

• A murder charge against a senior officer is not common, signaling a significant legal step.
• The speed of the process stands out compared to other cases.
• International attention has elevated scrutiny and expectations.
• Public comparison is driving a broader conversation about consistency in justice.

For many observers, the concern is not that this case is moving too quickly, but that others have not moved quickly enough or not at all.

If the system can act with speed and clarity here, it raises expectations that it should do so in all cases, regardless of nationality or attention.

That is where public trust is tested, because justice is about whether people believe the same standards apply every time.

The courts will determine the facts, but beyond the legal process, a deeper question remains: Is justice being applied equally, or only when the United States is watching?

Grief is hanging heavy as friends and loved ones struggle to come to terms with the sudden and tragic loss of Kareem Williams, a man they say lived fully until his final moments.

Williams died on Thursday after days in hospital, following a hit-and-run incident on East Bay Street last Sunday. According to accounts, he was helping a young woman out of the front passenger seat of a vehicle when both were struck by a passing car. The driver did not stop but was caught later.

For those who knew him, the details are almost too painful to process just how he died.

A member of the Bahamas Flag Football League, Williams was remembered as both a fierce competitor and a steady presence off the field.

In a tribute, the league said his impact stretched far beyond the game.

“His presence on and off the field will never be forgotten,” the statement read, as teammates and coaches joined in mourning.

Online, the grief has been raw and unfiltered.

Calvin Spence called him a “brother,” remembering his competitive spirit.

Lorenzo Bullard’s message was shorter, heavier: “Rest in peace my son.”

Others expressed heartbreak mixed with anger at how the incident unfolded.

“People had to run him (suspect) down and cut him off until police came,” Rosmond Joseph wrote, echoing frustration that has rippled online.

Shenika Newry remembered Williams from childhood: “Just running around loving life,” she said, a memory that now feels impossibly distant. “He was loved. He has kids. I pray justice prevails.”

Serenity Terell knew him as “a loyal customer.”

Kareem was the father of two children.

Friends are remembering Geronimo Brice as a kind-hearted man whose life touched many, after he died in a tragic car crash on Wednesday.

To those who knew him, Brice will be remembered for his kindness, a man described simply as “a very decent person.”

Police said Brice was travelling north on Milo Butler Highway when his vehicle struck the median, sending the car airborne into the southbound lane, where it collided with a flatbed truck. He died at the scene.

In the hours after news of the crash spread, social media was filled with messages of disbelief and grief from friends still struggling to process the loss.

For some, Brice was family.

Miguel Johnson described him as one of his closest friends.

“One of my closest high school friends and brothers,” Johnson wrote. “Love you forever my brother.”

The two attended Aquinas College (Bahamas) together, graduating in 1996, and remained close over the years. Johnson said Brice was part of a small group of school friends who stayed connected long after graduation.

“One of my literal best friends in life who I always talk to in a group chat with a few of my closest brethren from school,” he said. “My mind feels lost right now knowing you are gone.”

Others remembered Brice for his easygoing nature and warmth.

“He was a really cool person,” one friend wrote.

“Geronimo will be missed. I so can’t believe this,” added Jasmin Shanez.

Family members also expressed their heartbreak. “Forever in my heart,” wrote relative Jade Thurston.

For some, the news was almost too difficult to accept.

“Not Geronimo Brice,” one person wrote in disbelief. Another simply responded, “Oh goodness, nooo.”

Brice was also remembered by former classmates from his time at The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, where one friend recalled long nights in dorm rooms playing video games and building friendships.

“Solid brother back then,” the post read.

Professionally, Brice worked with the Ministry of Works, where his work as an architectural professional left a lasting impression.

Shantell Braynen said he helped design the plans for her home. “He was so cool and lenient with me,” she recalled. “He tried to give me everything I wanted in my house.”

Grief settled over parts of Grand Bahama after the tragic death of G’Tero Foster, a 17-year-old student remembered by family and friends as a respectful young man with a bright future.

Leroy Bowe said he had only seen Foster days before the attack and remembered him as a polite young man.

“He was well-mannered,” Bowe said, still shaken by the news. “No parent wants to wake up to a nightmare like this.”

Foster died early Sunday morning after he and two other teenagers were attacked around 3 a.m. near a business establishment along Queen’s Highway. According to accounts, a group exited a vehicle and confronted the young men. Foster was stabbed multiple times and later died in the hospital.

In the hours that followed, tributes poured in across social media.

Abagail Higgs said the loss has left many struggling to make sense of the violence.

“He was a good child with plenty of potential,” she said.

One barber said he had just cut Foster’s hair on Saturday and was still in disbelief after hearing what happened hours later.

“He was just here,” the barber said. “I can’t believe he’s gone.”

Foster was a student at St. George’s High School, where he was remembered as a “beloved fellow Jaguar.”

Among the most heartbreaking reminders of the loss was a screenshot shared online of the final conversation between Foster and his mother, Latara Knowles.

“Why you ain’t home yet?” she asked him. “Don’t let me have to come for you.”

He replied: “Mommy, I ask you if I could’ve gone out.”

She responded, reminding him that he still had church in the morning.

“I never answer you. And you don’t like get up for church.”

“I coming to church,” he told her.

But he never made it.

For many who knew him, the pain of the moment is difficult to put into words.

“Tero, Tero. Oh my Lord. This hurts,” wrote Anishka Rolle.

Kim McKinney said the loss will stay with her. “I will forever miss and love you.”

Others spoke about the cruel reality that a life so young could end so suddenly.

“He was just a child who just started to live life,” Agnes Pratt said. “Now his life has been cut short by cowards with knives.”

Higgs said the family and community now hope for justice.

The sanctuary filled slowly, then all at once with uniforms, family and friends of Johnathan Johnson.

Laughter and tears mingled as loved ones remembered the life of the police constable killed last month in a crash along East Bay Street.

He loved being an officer.

To Pastor Monique Davis of Judea Family Worship Center, he was “Johnny,” a young man who loved God and showed it quietly.

“I knew he loved his God,” she said. “He used to work the late shift, get off at 8 o’clock, and by 11 o’clock he was still in the house of the Lord.”

After every Sunday service, he had a ritual. Stuttering slightly, smiling widely, he would follow her and ask, “Mama, what you cook?” The church erupted in laughter at the memory.

He loved to give. Last Christmas, he bought her a pair of shoes, the heel too high, and insisted she walk in them so he could see how they fit.

Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Rodger Thompson described him as diligent, respectful and unwavering in his loyalty to the Royal Bahamas Police Force. After a transfer from the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services, he served in Prosecutions and the Western Division with dedication.

“He was called to serve,” Thompson said. “Humble, well-mannered and kind.”

But it was his best friend, Tyrik Ingraham, who captured the ache of the loss.

Friends since high school, they were inseparable, fishing for hours, arguing over who caught more, communicating without words. “We were the only two that could make jokes,” he said softly and tearfully, “but not to be joked on.”

“I lost a brother,” Ingraham said. “I lost someone I trusted with life-changing decisions. I lost someone who could pull me out of my darkest moments.”

Elder Justin Rahming remembered training alongside him as a prison officer, how he once slept through the training sessions and still passed the exam. Later, when Rahming met him at a police roadblock, Johnny’s simple request was, “Pastor, pray for me.”

Featured images and photos: Through the Eyes of Ezra

What began as an ordinary workday ended in heartbreak for the family and friends of Kirk Young.

Those who knew Kirk describe him as cool, down-to-earth, and dependable.

A skilled mechanic by trade, he was known for his work ethic and willingness to help.

The 49-year-old husband and father of three was killed on Thursday when a forklift collapsed on him at Ports International in the area of the Airport Industrial Park. His 21-year-old son was working alongside him.

Just days earlier, he had spent Super Bowl Sunday surrounded by family, laughing, enjoying the game.

“It’s a bit unbelievable,” his sister, Jody Young, told the Tribune. “I still can’t fathom this is happening because he was perfectly fine… For this to happen is horrible.”

Friend, Tito White called him “a cool brother.”

Minique Alexandrea knew him well. She said he was “such a down-to-earth person who was always willing to help,” adding that her heart aches for his wife, who family members say is understandably distraught.

“A very focused young man… decent and loved by his family,” Imran Raheim remembered about him.

Raynet Forbes described him simply as “a darling of a gem.”

“Great guy,” said Marc Serfontein. And for Shavonne, the loss cut deeply: “Kirk, you’re one of the happiest people I know, bro. This cut deep.”

Even those who only knew him in passing say he left a lasting impression.

Glen Rigo recalled that Kirk had just purchased hydraulic parts days earlier. “No way… No man knows the day nor the hour,” he said, echoing the disbelief felt.