On a quiet Monday night, what should have been an ordinary evening of shared pizza and family television time turned into an unspeakable tragedy in a Wilton Street residence, when stray gunfire from a public street chase cut short the life of Tamika Nottage-Cime, a 48-year-old devoted wife, mother of six, and school janitor. At the time of the incident, Nottage-Cime was holding her one-year-old grandson in her arms when bullets tore through the exterior walls of her home, striking her fatally. The toddler escaped physically unharmed, though covered in his grandmother’s blood, leaving a family shattered by sudden, senseless loss.
Her mother, Christine Nottage, shared the harrowing details of the final moments before gunfire erupted. Like so many other nights, the extended family had gathered in Nottage’s bedroom to chat and laugh, a quiet routine the household cherished. Nottage sat at the head of the bed, while her daughter settled at the foot. Out of nowhere, the sound of shooting erupted outside. Christine immediately screamed for her two great-grandchildren to take cover on the floor. When the gunfire stopped, she quickly noticed her daughter had not moved.
“I see her still on her face and the baby in her hand,” Christine recalled, describing how she began calling Tamika’s name and shaking her body in a desperate search for a response. “When I look at the baby in her hand, that’s when I realised she got hit. The baby full of blood and the blood coming from up under her.”
Royal Bahamas Police confirmed the sequence of events, noting that the shooting unfolded just after 10 p.m. in response to emergency calls. Officers arrived at the Wilton Street address to find Nottage-Cime unresponsive, with a single gunshot wound to her upper body. Initial investigations have painted a clear picture: an unidentified suspect chasing another individual through the neighborhood fired multiple shots during the pursuit. None of the bullets hit their intended target; instead, several penetrated the walls of the nearby residential home, striking the innocent grandmother as she sat with her family.
After opening fire, the suspect fled the area and remains at large as of the latest updates. Emergency medical responders pronounced Nottage-Cime dead at the scene. Beyond the unimaginable grief, the family has found a small measure of relief in the fact that the one-year-old she protected escaped without injury.
Christine Nottage, fighting back tears as she spoke to reporters, shared that she has never before experienced the loss of a child, and is clinging to prayer to find peace in the aftermath. “She don’t bother people, she saved,” Christine said of her daughter. “Just how she died quiet, that’s just how she was.” Like the rest of the family, she is demanding full justice for Tamika’s unnecessary death.
Nottage-Cime worked as a janitor at DW Davis School, and her husband Fenold Cime, who works on a remote Family Island, received the devastating news and flew into New Providence the day after the shooting. Still in deep shock, he can barely process the loss of his partner of 15 years. “Someone tell me she got shoot,” he said. “I said no, I just talked to my wife.” He described Tamika as the love of his life, a woman who brought warmth and stability to their entire family.
Local elected officials have also joined in mourning the loss of Nottage-Cime, who worked on Centerville Member of Parliament Jomo Campbell’s election campaign. In an official statement of condolence, Campbell emphasized that Nottage-Cime was far more than a campaign volunteer to the team. “Tamika was more than a team member; she was family,” he said. “Her warmth, her spirit, and her presence brought light to everyone around her. We strongly condemn violence on our streets and community, especially violence against women & children. This must never be accepted as normal.”
“To the Nottage family, please know that you are in our prayers and in our hearts during this incredibly difficult time. We grieve with you. We stand with you. Let this be a moment for reflection, for unity, and for love,” Campbell added.