Michael Jones. Photo courtesy of Kirkland & Ellis.
Summary: A partner from Kirkland & Ellis was medically evacuated to Florida after being shot while on vacation.
A beautiful island getaway almost turned deadly on Friday when a burglar shot Kirkland & Ellis partner, Mike Jones. The 57-year-old was vacationing in Turks and Caicos with his family when two gunmen attempted to storm their villa.
“Mike Jones, a partner in our Washington, D.C., office, was shot during a burglary while on vacation with his family,” the firm said. “Mike was treated successfully and is in stable condition and is expected to fully recover. Our thoughts and prayers are with Mike and his family, and we look forward to welcoming him back after his recovery.”
Jones was medically evacuated to Florida after being shot. The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force told ABC News that two masked introducers stormed Jones’ vacation villa around 10:00 pm on Friday night. He was shot once in the upper body before being immediately taken to a local hospital.
The villa came equipped with an alarm system and a security guard, and police said that the guard was found “lightly bound” at the scene by his own shoe laces.
One of the suspects was confronted by Jones, the police said, and that is what led to the shot being fired. After the shooting, the burglars took Jones’ laptop and fled. They are still at large and police were reviewing security footage to try to determine the subjects’ identities.
Jones’ shooting comes just five weeks after another American was shot in the country while vacationing with his family. Turks and Caicos Islands Governor John Freeman acknowledged the increase in violent crime on the tourist destination, and he said the country was working on ways to keep people safe.
“Recent incidents of aggravated burglaries have again given rise to understandable public concern. There are immediate but also wider dimensions to the increased incidence of violent crimes. Our thoughts — as always — are with the victims of recent crimes and their families,” Freeman said. “The effort to deal with violent crime is ongoing. More resources are being dedicated to security needs and more will be available in the future. And all of us with responsibilities for security are committed to seeing the task through.”
Kirkland & Ellis’s website states that Jones earned his J.D. at Georgetown University Law Center and practices litigation. Some of his clients include Chevron, BP America Inc., ConocoPhillips, and General Motors, and his pro bono work includes educational equality cases.
The Turks and Caicos Islands Ministry of Tourism, Environment, Heritage and Culture said that the country is safe and this act of violence should not deter people from visiting.
“It is with regret, that we report any situation involving the safety or well-being of residents or guests to our country. While our country remains safe, any acts of crime against residents or tourists are unacceptable,” the organization said. “Our residents and visitors should continue to enjoy our islands, as we will not be intimidated by acts of cowardice.”