Murder count climbs to 72
NASSAU, BAHAMAS- A security officer was shot and killed in the parking lot of an apartment complex on Johnson Road, off Eastern Road, this morning.
It was one of two murders in 12-hours.
Responding to reports of gunshots, officers found the body of the man, who is believed to be in his early 30s, on the ground in a patch of grass.
Speaking to the media on scene, Chief Superintendent Solomon Cash, who heads the Central Detective Unit, said based on preliminary reports, authorities understand that two armed men got out of a Japanese vehicle and opened fire on the victim.
His identity was not released.
“We can tell you that we suspect the victim is a security officer,” Cash said. “We don’t know exactly which company he works for. We don’t know the motive for this latest homicide.”
Cash appealed for anyone with information to come forward.
Relatives of the deceased wept and held each other. Others looked on as officers canvassed the scene, placing cones in nearly a dozen spots surrounding the body, which was covered with a tarp.
Eyewitness News understands the victim is Jermaine Edwards, 45, a security guard at the Princess Margaret Hospital.
One woman, overcome with grief, crouched down against a police vehicle, recoiling as she sobbed uncontrollably.
Scores of onlookers gathered at the scene, some of whom had young children.
Last night, a man was shot and died in hospital in a drive-by shooting while standing in front of a residence on First Street, Coconut Grove.
According to authorities, the occupants of a white vehicle, which Cash said was also a Japanese model, opened fire on the victim around 7 p.m.
The victim’s identity was not released; however, Cash said the man was in his late 20s or early 30s.
The motive for the shooting was unclear.
Asked if the murders were connected, Cash said he was unable to say at this time.
“We don’t know if there is any nexus between that particular matter and the matter, we are currently investigating here at Johnson Road,” he said.
However, Cash advised that the four that took place on September 6 were linked.
Though he did not provide specifics, he said police were following significant leads into those killings.
The spate of murders in New Providence in recent weeks have taken place as the country continues to reel from the mass destruction, displacement and deaths in Abaco and Grand Bahama as a result of Hurricane Dorian.
Additional officers were deployed to Abaco to assist with restoring law and order amid reports of looting and other security concerns.
Asked about resources and police patrols in New Providence, Cash said the Royal Bahamas Police Force will continue to increase visibility and execute its crime-fighting strategies.
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