WILLEMSTAD – A man was shot and killed in the early morning hours at the parking lot near Mambo Beach, according to the Politie Curaçao.
Police received a report during the night of a shooting incident in the Bapor Kibra area and responded immediately. Upon arrival at the parking lot, officers found a man suffering from gunshot wounds.
Ambulance personnel were called to the scene, but the victim had already succumbed to his injuries. A police physician officially pronounced the man dead.
The area was immediately secured to allow for forensic investigation. Both forensic specialists and detectives were deployed to examine the scene and begin the investigation.
Police reported that several shell casings were found at the location. The victim was discovered lying next to a red Chevrolet Spark.
At this stage, little information is available about the circumstances surrounding the shooting or the identity of the victim. Authorities confirmed that the killing at Mambo Beach is the first homicide recorded on Curaçao this year.
Despite the incident, police noted that Curaçao has seen a sustained decline in the number of homicides over recent years. In 2024, seven murders were recorded, one fewer than in 2023. Historical data show a sharp decrease since 2017, when 27 homicides were reported, followed by 21 in 2018. The number fell to 13 in 2020, dropped further to 10 in 2021, and stabilized at eight cases in both 2022 and 2023.
According to police, this downward trend is partly attributed to the reduction of rival gang activity. Advances in investigative techniques and a more focused approach to individual cases have resulted in a homicide clearance rate of between 75 and 85 percent.
