COP: Man and his kids ‘attacked’ in Eleuthera double murder

COP: Man and his kids ‘attacked’ in Eleuthera double murder
Police Commissioner Paul Rolle (FILE PHOTO).

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Commissioner of Police Paul Rolle said preliminary investigations into the double homicide in Eleuthera on Saturday suggest the 35-year-old man was targeted when assailants ‘attacked’ him and his family as they visited a home that they were building.

According to police reports, the man and his four-year-old son were found dead on a property in Rock Sound with apparent gunshot injuries shortly after 5 pm on Saturday.

Officers received additional information that a white vehicle and two children were missing.

The children and the vehicle were later found on a dirt road north of Rock Sound, unharmed.

He said both of the children were reunited with the mother, one of whom was about five weeks old.

Rolle indicated that the mother had just returned to Eleuthera from New Providence on Saturday after recently giving birth.

“That part ended well. Regrettably, the father and one of the siblings were killed in that incident,” he said.

While speaking to reporters on the sidelines of his community back-to-school initiative in Kemp Road yesterday, Rolle said that the man was with his family checking on the property when they were attacked.

“[The] culprits obviously followed them, their house is some distance off the main road, and the attack took place,” Rolle said.

“The assailants then jumped in his vehicle and drove off.

“I don’t think they realized that the children were in the car and once they perhaps realized they ditched the car.”

Asked whether the man was targeted, he said, “We are still conducting our investigations with that. Based on what I’m saying, obviously, he was followed there because where the house is, this is not someplace where people hang out. There was no indication of no argument or anything.”

Police have taken a number of people into custody in connection with the matter, and have appealed to the public for any information that can assist with the investigation.

The young boy is the third child to be murdered in recent weeks.

Englerston MP Glenys Hanna-Martin yesterday expressed shock to the spate of gun violence against children.

“It is clear that all the pre-election claims and sustained political arrogance, like everything else associated with this government, have come to naught,” Hanna-Martin said.

“Expressions of regret by the minister have now become overused and tired. Three innocent children are dead by violence in as many weeks. This is unprecedented. This cannot be tolerated. This is unbearable.”

Hanna-Martin said the minister must indicate what the government’s plan is to counteract the plague of murders that have “recklessly targeted children”.

“What is the plan to deal with the proliferation of guns?” she asked.

“It seems clear the multimillion-dollar investment in shot spotter was a dubious investment at best.

“…The government must now understand that there must be a reach across the political divide to bring a nonpartisan, all hands on deck merger to combat this scourge…The political leveraging is not working and people are dying.”

About Sloan Smith

Sloan Smith is a senior digital reporter at Eyewitness News, covering a diverse range of beats, from politics and crime to environment and human interest. In 2018, Sloan received a nomination for the “Leslie Higgs Feature Writer of The Year Award” from The Bahamas Press Club for her work with Eyewitness News.