TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Grand Case Incident

Hi, does anyone have any news regarding the apparent shooting in Grand Case yesterday? Saw a post on SXM-News and am wondering the details….

According to the video on social media it was a couple walking back to GCBC who was robbed by 3 men. The gentleman was shot and they took their bag. Very very scary. We have been going to Grand Case for over 14 years and do that walk every night returning from dinner. This poor man was shot and just laying in the street. Absolutely terrifying. I pray he makes it. I just don’t think it’s very safe anymore in St Martin… very bad things happening and now this. Heartbreaking.

There are a couple of reports here.

https://www.facebook.com/stmartinnewsnetwork

Horrible. Another reason we don't go to GC anymore at night let alone the French side for dinners.

Dear god. I hope he is OK. How terrifying.

crazy…we had dinner last night at the lolos…we headed back to cupecoy around 8

fyi, soon after arriving a couple of weeks ago we were warned by a local to avoid driving back from french side at night through Sandy Ground at any cost…apparently the bad guys have been blocking the road and robbing people in cars….i know past SXM visitors know to avoid Sandy Ground, but just a reminder that nothing has gotten better

Just avoid Sandy Ground as much as you can.

considering the shooting happened in Grand Case, shouldn’t you Just avoid Sandy Ground the French side as much as you can. ?…lol

We have some friends / relatives currently staying at the GCBC. Just found out that they are ok.
Nonetheless we're heartbroken for the victims.

Agreed, always avoid Sandy Ground.

Herald link
https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islan...UqdEowRgtQDdE_aem_oh89PWvchOobmOpW0eivog

We have plans to (return) to GCBC in April. We have stayed in Grand Case for the past 12 years, the last 4 at GCBC. There has always been ebbs and flows of crime over the years, but this might be the year we decide to skip the GCBC and Grand Case altogether. Just don’t feel safe as the violent crime just seems so unpredictable (rainbow cafe shooting, the scooter drive bys, etc etc.)

Such a shame, as our hearts are with the (good) of Grand Case and the people. I really hope the French can settle this piece of paradise and make it safe.

Since we started going to the island in 2016, we have only driven through Sandy Ground one time, a couple of years ago - and it was in a taxi bringing us back to the French side after having dinner in Maho. I still had the heebie jeebies just because of all the warnings I'd read over the years to avoid the area.

Reading the article about the Grand Case shooting, it is very, very sad. This will surely impact many people who have always felt safe making that walk in the evening over the years. I always wondered at the inconsistency of GCBC with re: to guards and/or a shuttle (not to assume everyone would choose to take it). I feel like it's a "sometimes they do, sometimes they don't" thing. I wonder if this will change that.

Re: the general safety of walking that stretch of road, I know it's a question that often comes up in travel forums, and I question I had myself when planning our trip the year we stayed at Esplanade. I was on the fence about it before, but now, not so much. I get that things could happen anywhere, but, this was just always an area that felt good to us.

Yes, I think it will hurt their bookings, if they don't do assurances for either a guard or transportation. And it may well anyway. I have to say though, midnight? Too late to be walking in that area.

We stopped walking that area after 7pm. Early dinner, then directly back to GCBC. One of the joys of GCBC is a wonderful hotel with the proximity of the village for shopping, eating, drinking. I would hate for it to become a “don’t leave the resort” type of destination.

While that may give you some comfort, you may be deluding yourself if you think the violent crime rates on the French side are higher than on the Dutch side. There was a shooting just a week ago in the Dutch Quarter with someone injured. In the summer there was a big shooting in Maho with 5 people going to hospital. Just prior to that in June, there was the shooting in the St. Peters area (Dutch side). I think there was also a shooting just prior to that in Sandy Ground (French side).

Anyway, it's very unfortunate and I hope through better policing and enforcement they can improve safety around the whole island.

I'm not "deluding" myself. It's not just the crime that concerns me. I just don't like that drive at night back from GC or Orient Village. Yes there is crime on the Dutch side but there again I don't drive to out of the way places at night for dinner. At 77 I'm not a night owl and like to be back safely at my home resort and in bed before 10:00. Same at home too.

The robbery time was midnight and at that time of night it doesn't matter where you are when walking at any Island or vacation spot anywhere in the world on a dark street. I am currently working in Chicago my next job is in New Orleans and both can be dangerous if I walk at midnight.

Never liked the walk back to GCBC.

We are on high alert from the time we exit the car by the soccer field lot until we get to LoLos, Bistrot and a few others.

This is very concerning in the height of the holiday season.

Let them have your stuff, they act as if they have nothing to lose.

Those kids on the sailboat were fools to chase after the bums with their scooter.

GC French Merchants need to demand more.

As in the past, time for constant truck/foot gendarmerie patrols.

As for the Dutch side being safer, it is the only place we have been chased at night to our rental car. Luckily, we got in just in time.

They need to have enough guys and enough golf carts at both ends at all times so that no one says “we will be OK, let’s walk”. And if its on demand, it better be luckily split.

If it was midnight, then the victims should have known better and called the hotel.

That stretch has scary written all over it. Just not enough people around and to many hidden spaces.

Sound advice, as Sandy Ground has everything a highway bandit could ask for: poorly lit, remote, narrow roads with lots of turns and poor sight lines, and zero police presence. It would be very easy place to block someone and rob them there. I remember giving that advice years ago only to be ridiculed repeatedly by Rasputin.

It’s getting rough , but we had a good evening at Bistro Caribes great food 🥘 and service 👍😊

Maybe locals are safer. Good you had a nice evening and got home without incident.

I drive through Sandy Ground at night, walk the road at Grand Case at night. Granted I don't walk from places off the main area due to not wanting to walk that far when going to dinner but I would not hesitate to drive, park in one of the normal lots and then walk any more than I would fear Simpson Bay or almost every major city in the world. Drove through Sandy Ground last night, zero fear.

I do drink less when we go, only had one cocktail last night. If there was a reason I reduced my trips it was because of the Gendarmerie stops, aka money grabs. We are honestly now looking and spending more time on the French side in Grand Case and Orient on future trips as they have become more alive at night.

I will take the chance tonight and drive through the Mullet Bay area to get to Lal's, and Huppel.
T

Walking the main drag in Grand Case with a crowd is one thing. Walking alone or as a couple to GCBC or side streets is another IMHO. We have never had trouble in Sandy Ground but if I had a flat tire I’d rather be on the road through Marigot than the road thru Sandy ground or out in desolation.

Purse snatching in GC was one thing, taking a bullet is a whole other level.

And I’ve heard of more bullets in jewelry shops and such on the Dutch side.

Head always on a calm island swivel wherever i park the car and walk on both sides.

For an island with firearms being illegal there sure are enough in use on the island. About time authorities enforce the laws.

Just like they do in every major city in the USA??

At least I have the option to protect myself with my conceal weapon permit back home. No option for the islanders.

Ya and probably end up shooting one of your grandkids in the middle of the night.

Highly unlikely. Maybe you would.

Safe to say all guns in SXM are stolen , same as most guns used in crime back home. This is the element you are dealing with.

Todd - Don't you drive an SUV when on island? I would think that would be somewhat less of a target than a small economy car.

I, too, drive Sandy Ground during the day without fear. But as a single senior, I would not do so at night, especially in the little cars I drive.

Driving a really "smooth" Toyota Yaris this trip. In Nov/Dec it was a Toyota Raize which kind of looks like a SUV but is really only about car sized and "Always in Season". Laughing as I type once again. We used to drive small SUV's, because every time we did not rent one we had Lake Mullet issues.

Sandy Ground is not an issue to me, lots of people and 99+++ percent of them are great people and that as a witness creates safety. With the motorcycle wheelies going on it could get intimidating but that is again in the populated area mostly where people know those riding. If there would be a fear it would be the more deserted areas with low traffic, driving or walking. In a populated area it pretty much has to be smash, grab and run.

We also are very rarely out until midnight, or even 11pm.

Posted on facebook, from Louis Mussington, president of the Territorial Council of Saint Martin

"I strongly condemn the assault with a gun committed Sunday evening on a tourist on Grand Case boulevard. Fortunately the victim was taken care of and I wish him a speedy recovery. He and his family have all my sympathy and the full support of our institution.

The crime situation has worsened in recent months with increasing number of violent acts. The statistics of the police testify to this and I asked the mayor Vincent BERTON to strengthen the police presence in the public domain of the Collectivité, especially in places with a strong tourist influx such as Grand Case.

Collectivité de Saint-Martin and its territorial police will take their full part in this device by strengthening surveillance patrols on the ground, together with the police. l also asked the Cadre de Vie delegation to accelerate the construction work of the territorial police premises that are to open very soon in Grand Case and Quartier d'Orléans. In 2025, the Collective also plans to rehabilitate the building of the old college of Cul de Sac to make it a place of learning, with workshops for young people, to give them keys and knowledge to easily access the world of work.

Grand Case Tuesdays will soon begin and I wish maximum safety for our tourists and residents throughout the territory. So l've asked the people in charge to put in place a new surveillance system to keep people safe when leaving restaurants, especially in Grand Case. Violent acts such as the one perpetrated on Sunday evening in Grand Case are unacceptable, they do a huge harm to our tourist destination and by a way of harm to our economy. I have absolutely no sympathy or damaging circumstances for those who behave like this and use free violence.

Everything will be done to bring the perpetrators to justice for their actions. St. Maarten is living with tourism and visitors like residents need to feel safe on the Friendly Island. The collective will take care of it with the involvement of the State and the law enforcement, whose primary mission is."

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=584254584464963&set=a.166644919559267&type=3&mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=riz5qIZ53tdeS5ER&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2F15kJTJJkXh%2F%3Fmibextid%3DwwXIfr

Stolen from whom? Other illegal gun owners as they are illegal to have on both sides of SXM. Have to be brought in by air or sea that should be detected at points of entry by the authorities. Different back home as they can be stolen from law abiding owners.

Herald corrected their article.
LINK

Have not seen details, but just given the time of the incident (late, but not that late), the location (just past public parking lot in the vicinity of Le Pressoir), and the fact it involved three men with guns, this is a very very very bad incident for the island generally. The Collectivitie knows this and I very much hope that they and the Prefet can and will respond with serious action, as opposed to PR blather.

Todd - that you look like a cop (to me anyway) may put you in a different category than those of us who look and are pretty vulnerable at this point in our lives.

My condolences and best wishes to the couple attacked.

Here is a link with photos & video of Grand Case shooting. Man is responding to police questions He sounds very lucid.

sxmnews.ai/updated-more-videos-tourist-shot-grand-case-saint-martin/

Fixed your link.
LINK

I feel sorry for owners of GCBC, as this is one of the problems with social media, which often doesn't get the details correct.