NASSAU, BAHAMAS — A man in his late 30s was shot and killed in a vehicle around 2.40pm yesterday on the corner of Milton Street and Market Street.
Family members were distraught on the scene, crying and screaming as they attempted to rush to the body as it was being removed by undertakers.
The victim was identified by relatives as Walter Agustus Johnson, also known as “AJ” or “Rider”.
Police Press Liaison Officer ASP Audley Peters told reporters that officers were alerted to a shooting and found a man in a black Nissan March slumped over the driver seat with multiple gunshot wounds.
He said the vehicle was extensively damaged.
Peters noted that police are still in the preliminary stages of the investigation and could not indicate a motive for the killing.
“We don’t have all the facts to make a conclusive judgment,” he said.
He said that while the area may have had previous killings in recent months, it is not considered a trend, pointing to an alleged proliferation of firearms in the country as the cause of the number of murders occurring.
“We would have asked members of the public on several occasions to report persons who have firearms to [do] that and they have been doing that, but the issue is the proliferation of firearms,” Peters said.
He added that evidence in the most recent case suggests the firearm used was high-powered and could fire multiple projectiles at any given time.
Peters said there is CCTV in the area and police are following significant leads to bring the matter to a conclusion soon.
On Friday, newly sworn-in Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis signed an emergency order extending the curfew on certain islands to 11.59pm.
The same night, a man was killed following an altercation.
Peters assured that police will remain vigilant in their patrols during those extended hours.
“The commissioner of police would have put officers in place prior to the election,” he added.
“That system is still in place where we have a good number of officers and additional vehicles in and on the streets.
“However, we can’t be everywhere at one time. Our eyes and ears are the members of the public. The police is the public and the public is the police.
“Each individual has a responsibility in policing their areas by giving us information about persons brandishing firearms and…doing illicit activities because, at the end of the day, a member of a particular community could become a victim.”
Loading ...
