American deputy killed by stray bullet on Turks and Caicos vacation
An American sheriff's deputy and grandmother was shot dead while celebrating her sister's birthday in Turks and Caicos over the weekend.
Cook County, Illinois Deputy Shamone Duncan, 50, was shot along with local resident Dario Stubbs outside a restaurant on Grace Bay Road around 10 p.m. Saturday, the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force said in a news release.
"Responding officers discovered three individuals injured during the shooting, one of whom succumbed to injuries at the scene while the other died at an area hospital. A third victim, who has been identified as a 29-year-old male, is undergoing medical treatment," Acting Commissioner Rodney Adams wrote in the release.
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"There is no evidence to suggest that Ms. Duncan, Mr. Stubbs or the wounded victim were the targets of this incident," Adams said.
No arrests had been made in the shooting as of Tuesday afternoon.
The 50-year-old grandmother was celebrating her sister's birthday at a rooftop party at the Aziza Restaurant and Providenciales on the night of her death, and was on her second of three days on vacation, her family told ABC 7 Chicago.
Aziza Restaurant could not immediately be reached for comment.
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An argument broke out downstairs before gunfire rang out and Duncan was hit by a stray bullet, her family said.
"People started yelling, telling people to ‘get down, everybody got down,' and my mom got up," her son Shamon Payton told ABC 7. "And then, she got hit ... Bystanders came and they tried to help."
Duncan had worked as a deputy with the Cook County Department of Corrections for 20 years at the time of her death and had recently been reassigned to Cermak Health Services, FOX 32 Chicago.
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The sheriff's office told the outlet that their "hearts [were] broken for the family of Deputy Shamone Duncan."
"It is with unimaginable sorrow that we, the family of Sheriff Shamone A. Duncan, announce her tragic passing on Jan. 18, 2025," the department said. "Shamone was a proud native of Chicago, born and raised in the city she loved and served tirelessly… Above all, Shamone was a devoted mother, grandmother, sister and friend."
"A shining example of excellence, she was a proud Eastern Star, exemplifying her deep commitment to faith, service, and community," the department continued. "Her 21 years of service as Cook County Sheriff were a testament to her unwavering dedication to justice and her passion for protecting others. She was a beacon of strength, compassion, and leadership, touching countless lives in her community and beyond."
Duncan is survived by two daughters, her son and her granddaughter, her family said.