Cayman Islands Nightclub Gunfire, Two Hospitalized With Critical Injuries, Officers Hunt Gunman

George Town, Cayman Islands— Gunshots inside a packed nightclub on the outskirts of George Town just after 1:20 a.m. Tuesday left two people with critical injuries and sent a crowd of patrons scrambling into the parking lot.

Royal Cayman Islands Police said the shooting happened on the main floor near the bar. Witnesses reported an argument between two groups that escalated. At least four shots were fired at close range before security pushed the crowd toward the exits.

Two victims, both men in their 20s, were struck in the torso. Paramedics stabilized them on the club floor and rushed them to the Cayman Islands Hospital. Doctors listed them in critical but stable condition by morning. No other gunshot injuries were reported.

"The music stopped. People dropped. Staff shouted to get out the side door. It was chaos for two minutes," said a bartender who was working behind the counter and asked not to be named because the investigation is ongoing.

Police sealed the venue and the adjacent strip of bars. Forensic officers collected casings and swabbed for blood evidence. The club’s CCTV system was seized. Officers stopped vehicles leaving the area and checked IDs at roadblocks until 4 a.m.

Superintendent Peter Greene said investigators believe the gunman fled on foot and was picked up by a vehicle waiting outside. He said the attack was targeted, not random, and linked to a dispute earlier in the night.

"We have good video. We have witnesses. Someone knows who brought a gun into a crowded club. Come forward," Greene said at a press conference outside police headquarters.

Nightclub security has come under scrutiny. The venue employs private guards and uses wands at entry, but patrons said checks loosened after midnight. The liquor licensing board said it would review compliance reports.

Tourism officials sought to calm concerns. The Cayman Islands records few firearm incidents each year, but nightclub shootings have occurred sporadically in George Town.

Detectives will remain at the club through Tuesday for a full reconstruction and plan to release a suspect description after further interviews.