At the end of 2024, Barbados recorded at least 50 murders (homicides) between January 1 and December 31st. For the same period last year, i.e., January to December 2023, there were at least 21 homicides. This represents an increase of 29 homicides or 138%.
The number of homicides recorded in December was 2. This represents a decrease of three deaths, or 60%, over the January to November period.
Regular readers will note that there were 19 homicides (by my count) for the entirety of 2023. So, why the discrepancy (i.e., 19 vs 21)? Several days ago there was a media report concerning the discovery of skeletal remains of two male bodies in St. John. A subsequent report indicated that these two males may be Junior Taitt and Randy Brathwaite who have been missing since June 2023. These two deaths would take my 2023 count from 19 to 21.
Disclaimer: My count and analysis are based solely on media reports; the figures and insights provided below should not be considered official or final.
A new column, “Approach Method,” was recently added to the table. This captures, when available through news reports, how the attacker approached the victim. For example, was it a drive-by, or did the assailant(s) drive to the scene, exit the vehicle, and then attack? In both cases, I would categorize it as ‘Motorcar.’ Alternatively, was the attack carried out on foot, such as a fight that broke out in a bar or an attacker approaching the victim on the street? This variable is subjective, as it relies on the specific details available from reports.
Chart 2 illustrates the distribution of homicides in Barbados over the months of 2024. A significant spike is observed in June, with 9 reported cases (18% of the total), marking it as the most violent month of the year. The months of July, August, and September followed with consistently high numbers, each recording 6 homicides.
In contrast, the year started and ended on a relatively quieter note, with January and December reporting 3 and 2 homicides respectively. The months of February, March, and April also showed lower homicide rates, staying between 2 to 3 cases. This data highlights a seasonal or situational pattern in violent incidents, with a sharp mid-year increase.
Chart 3 provides a breakdown of homicides across the parishes of Barbados for the year 2024. St. Michael stands out significantly, recording 24 homicides (48%), which is by far the highest number among all parishes.
St. Philip and Christ Church follow, with 9 and 8 homicides respectively, indicating moderately high levels of violence in these areas. St. James reported 3 homicides, while St. Andrew had 2 incidents during the same period.
The remaining parishes—St. Peter, St. Joseph, and St. Thomas—each reported only 1 homicide. Notably, St. Lucy, St. George, and St. John recorded no homicides for the year, reflecting relative safety in these regions.
NOTE: Parish info for one victim, Sonia Parris, was unavailable.
Per capita by parish values have been added because looking at the absolute value of homicides by parish, without taking into consideration the population by parish, is not entirely accurate. Parish information for Sonia Parris was unavailable hence the total number of homicides is 49 instead of 50.
Chart 5 categorizes the methods used in homicides across Barbados in 2024. Shooting-related incidents dominate, accounting for 33 cases, making firearms the most prevalent weapon in violent crimes for the year. Blade/Edge-related weapons, such as knives or machetes, were the second most common, with 12 cases. Other methods (fighting/beating) accounted for 3 cases, and unknown methods were responsible for 2 incidents (The two unknowns refer to Sonia Parris (April) and Daphne Thomas (September)).
Chart 6 categorizes the age group of homicide victims in Barbados between January and December 2024. The data reveals a concentration of victims in the younger age brackets, particularly among young adults. The age groups of 18-24 and 25-34 stand out with the highest number of victims, with 13 and 11 homicides respectively. Comparatively, the older age groups (45+) have significantly lower numbers of victims.
Chart 7 reveals a significant gender disparity in homicide victims in Barbados during 2024. 47 males (94%) lost their lives to violence, compared to only 3 females.
Chart 8 reveals the timing of homicides in Barbados during 2024. The majority of the homicides (27) occurred during the workweek, compared to 21 on the weekend. Note: I define the workweek as Monday to Thursday. The two “Unknown” values refer to Shawn Maynard and Sonia Parris.
Chart 9 shows the distribution of homicides across the week in Barbados during 2024.
Key Observations (excluding Unknown):
Tuesday Most Prevalent: Tuesday stands out with the highest number of homicides (10).
Consistent Occurrence: Homicides were recorded on every day of the week, indicating that the risk of violence is present throughout the week.
Weekend Occurrence: Notably, Saturday and Sunday also saw a significant number of homicides (9 and 8, respectively).
Chart 10 shows the distribution of homicides across different time slots in Barbados during 2024.
Key Observations (excluding Unknown):
Evening Peak: The highest number of homicides (17) occurred between 8 PM and 12 AM (Slot F), suggesting a potential increase in risk during the evening hours.
Early Morning and Evening Concentration: Homicides also showed a notable concentration in the early morning hours (Slot A – 12 AM to 4 AM) with 7 occurrences and the late afternoon/early evening (Slot E – 4 PM to 8 PM) with 8 occurrences.
Mid-Day Lull: Comparatively, fewer homicides occurred between 8 AM and 4 PM (Slots C and D), suggesting a potential decrease in risk during these daytime hours.
Note: The time reported in The Media of the incident is what I use to assign homicides to one of six time slots. However, it is important to note that in some cases, this may not be when the victim was attacked or when they died.
In summary, Barbados experienced a significant increase in homicides in 2024, with 50 recorded cases between January 1 and December 31, compared to 21 in the same period in 2023—a 138% rise.
Monthly Distribution: June was the most violent month, accounting for 9 of the total homicides, followed by July, August, and September, each with six cases. January and December had the fewest incidents, with three and two homicides respectively.
Geographical Distribution: St. Michael parish reported the highest number of homicides at 24,. St. Philip and Christ Church followed with nine and eight cases respectively. St. Lucy, St. George, and St. John reported no homicides during this period.
Methods Used: Shootings were the predominant method, involved in 33 of the cases, followed by blade/edge weapons.
caribbeansignal.com is the personal blog of Amit Uttamchandani. Posts or comments made by Amit on this blog represent His personal views, opinions, thoughts, et cetera. Furthermore, the information presented in this particular do not represent official crime statistics. Finally, the raw data, i.e., the Excel file(s) used to create this post, as well as raw data dumps from the Barbados Homicide Database are available for purchase.
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