On the night of March 25, 2025, in Silver Hill, Christ Church, thirteen-year-old Shawnathon “Baby” Chase was shot and killed.
He was a student of The Lodge School — bright, curious, and full of promise. He loved bikes — both motorbikes and bicycles — and could often be seen riding through his neighborhood with friends, full of energy and laughter.

When the shots rang out that night, his mother was overseas in Guyana.
She was on the phone with her husband when the gunfire erupted — she heard, in real time, the sounds that ended her son’s life. She returned home to Barbados not to hold him, but to bury him.

At Shawnathon’s funeral, it was announced that two people had been charged in connection with his death. But in the months since, justice has slowed to a crawl.
Court hearings have been repeatedly adjourned — families waiting for hours only to hear “case adjourned.” Six months later, there has been no resolution, no closure, and no sense of change.

This tragedy did not happen in isolation. It revealed something Barbados can no longer ignore — a growing crisis of gun violence that is reaching deeper into our communities, claiming the lives of our children, and testing our nation’s conscience.

We cannot normalize this.
We cannot stay quiet.

#EnoughIsEnough
#4PoundsOfForce
It takes four pounds of force to pull a trigger — but it takes all of us, united, to build a Barbados where no child has to die because of it.

 
What We Are Calling For
We, the undersigned, call on the Government of Barbados, community leaders, and national institutions to:

Officially recognize March 25 as “Shawnathon Chase Day.”
A day of national remembrance and renewal — a yearly marker reminding us that protecting our youth is not optional, it’s urgent.
Act now — not later.
The change cannot wait for another date on the calendar. We call for immediate steps to:

Accelerate justice for victims of gun violence, ensuring cases are handled swiftly and transparently.
Invest in youth programs and mentorship, creating opportunities that keep young people engaged, hopeful, and safe.
Confront the illegal gun trade through stronger enforcement and community partnerships.
Encourage national conversation year-round — through schools, churches, media, and the arts — to shift culture and confront this issue directly.
Hold an annual public review each March 25 — where leaders report openly on progress, challenges, and next steps in addressing gun violence and community safety.
 
This petition is not about blame — it is about responsibility.
We are calling on leadership at every level — in government, justice, education, and community life — to treat this as the crisis it is.

Gun violence is not inevitable. It grows where silence and delay take root.
Let March 25 be both a memorial and a movement, a lasting reminder that the name Shawnathon Chase must mark a turning point, not a statistic.

Sign below to support the recognition of “Shawnathon Chase Day”
and to demand that the work to end gun violence in Barbados begins now.

*Important Clarifications*

Regarding Donations: Signing this petition is completely free. Please be aware that after you sign, the website may ask you to donate or "chip in." This feature is automatically controlled by Change.org and has nothing to do with the organization of this campaign. No money from these website donations goes to the cause, the organizer or Shawnathon’s family. 

How to Get Involved: We know that this cause resonates with many of you, and we have heard from people who are willing and wanting to do more than just sign. If you want to assist us more in getting this petition to 50,000 signatures, please reach out to us directly at: JusticeForShawnathon@gmail.com

#EnoughIsEnough #4PoundsOfForce #ShawnathonChaseDay