NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The recent spate of shootings in the country are believed to be connected to gang activity, according to police.
During a press briefing at CID, Assistant Commissioner of Police Solomon Cash advised that police are making headway in their investigations.
Cash noted the majority of recent shooting incidents have occurred in the south-central and southern divisions, including Englerston, the Grove and Bains and Grants Town.
“We have noticed that in these shooting incidents, most of the victims are associates, so much to say that we suspect that some of the victims are involved in gang activities,” he said.
“But I can say that thus far, the investigation has concluded to a point that there are several individuals we are looking for, that we suspect being responsible for several of these incidences.”
There has been an uptick in shootings and killings over the past few weeks on New Providence.
However, Cash said police have solved the “majority” of homicides for the year and have “significant leads” on the others.
“What we would like to say to people who [are] engaging or are involved in conflict — because we find that most of these homicides are because of conflicts,” he said.
“It appears as if persons don’t let things go and they are always hell-bent on retaliating. We can also say that most of these homicides are occurring because of people who want to control turfs and small territories within the city for the sale of drugs.
“That is to mean, they don’t want any competition for their illegal operations, so we find that that is fueling a lot of revenge and retaliation also, outside of conflicts.”
Police yesterday called on members of the public to help them in capturing several individuals wanted for involvement in those shootings, murders, as well as robberies.
Chief Superintendent Shanta Knowles noted that while police have previously circulated wanted flyers, “we thought to show them again today to get as much information as possible from the public that can assist us in bringing these men into custody so that we can talk to them and put them before the courts”.
Pointing to the poster for 26-year-old Christopher Blyden, Knowles said he is “wanted for shooting matters and we definitely need to get him off the streets and we need to talk to him”.
“So, I’m appealing to members of the public, especially those who know where these men are, to please give us the information so that we can bring them in and we can put them before the courts,” she said.
