NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The bodies of two men, one in his late teens and the other in his twenties, were discovered on Friday in front of a residency complex on Perpall Tract near a car riddled with apparent gunshots.
Police Press Liaison Officer, Chief Superintendent Chrislyn Skippings said that they received reports of the incident shortly after 8am on Ferguson Street off West Bay Street.
“Our initial investigations thus far reveal that two males, the occupants of a grey Hyundai Touring, had recently pulled into the parking lot just here on Ferguson way when two males exited a small white vehicle, both of whom were armed with weapons.
“They opened fire on the vehicle, hitting both males multiple times. Both of the men succumbed to the injuries on the scene. Hence, we are investigating and we are appealing to members of the public who may have been in this area during that time, who may have any information that can assist us with our investigations,” the press liaison officer said.
Based on information from initial investigations police say that a high-powered weapon was used to kill both individuals, who are not believed to have been residents of the establishment where they died in the front of.
Skippings said although police were unable to state the relationship between the two men. One of the victims was known to police, and out on bail for the possession of an unlicensed firearm and was wearing an ankle bracelet.
“These individuals are family members to persons, and so, yes, we are concerned about it, but it has to be, again, a collaborative effort between the community and the police,” she said.
“These incidents can only be minimized if we partner together and you provide your local police department with the information. Many family members know who their children are having conflicts with. You know. Why not simply bring them into the Criminal Investigation Department?”
She continued: “Let us try to resolve it so that we don’t end up with incidents of this sort again. It has to be a collaborative effort between the community and the police, and the community has to trust their Royal Bahamas police force and the men and women from the Criminal Investigation Department who do an extremely awesome job solving these matters through your assistance.”
Recent retaliation killings have also been a concern for police, however, Skippings said that it is too early to determine whether this incident will spark that kind of response.
“We will follow the trends and see where it leads us. I can tell you the men and women of the Royal Bahamas Police Force, remain firm and resolute.
“And once we have information that suggests where this may have emanated from today, I can assure you we’re going to take quick and decisive action to get those persons into our custody in the event to prevent any sort of retaliation that may occur.”
As police continue to make appeals to the public and family members of persons who know that they have unlicensed weapons, Skippings stressed the point that individuals who reach out to law enforcement to share sensitive information regarding crime can remain anonymous.
“Crimestoppers is anonymous. It is answered between Canada and the USA and so there’s no need for you to fear that your identity will be revealed,” she said.
Police investigations into the matter are ongoing.
Skippings urged anyone with information to call the Criminal Investigation Department at 502-9991 and the Crime Stoppers hotline at 328-TIPS.
