NASSAU, BAHAMAS — In the aftermath of a deadly weekend that claimed the lives of several unintended victims, Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe warned Bahamians to turn in perpetrators who they know are in possession of firearms.
Five men were murdered over the weekend following three days of back-to-back shooting incidents with police indicating that two of those men were unintended targets.
Speaking to reporters at Cabinet, Munroe reiterated the warnings of police warning: “It is not safe to have these people among you and around you. The fact that we have an upsurge now just draws it to attention.”
Police advised that the victim killed on Thompson Lane on Saturday was not the intended target and when the killers returned on Sunday, they also took the life of another innocent bystander.
Additionally, police said that a triple shooting last week Saturday also saw one man killed by a stray bullet.
“If you are in Pinewood, if you are in Kemp Road, if you are Nassau Village, if you are in Garden Hills and you know you have people around you who are involved in that activity, you need to give them up to police because you never know when the people come for them, whether you may not be killed by mistake if that is what is happening,” Munroe said.
“If this intense period does anything, let it educate the public of the need for what police has been calling for, for ages and that is for you to cooperate with them.”
Police have recorded 28 murders so far for the year, several of which were not the intended or targeted victims.
There were 12 murders that occurred in January, compared to 10 from the same time last year; and four in February compared to 12 that happened in 2021.
For the month of March, there have been 12 murders, compared to five around the same time last year.
Police have also been seeing a number of new trends in the import of guns into the country, wherein in some instances weapons are being stowed away and hidden in snacks and cereal boxes being shipped into the country.
Munroe insisted that with guns being shipped in the country. from the United States, Haiti or Jamaica, the police will do their best to utilize its Caribbean partners to get intelligence to intercept guns coming in.
“Clearly, a lot of guns make it to the street and this is where the public can be proactive. If you know of anyone who has a gun, turn it in,” he said.
He added that the Ministry of Social Services will launch an exercise to remove derelict cars, which he said will help police to find weapons being used for hiding spaces.
“The moral of the story from the weekend is it’s in all of our interests not to be in communion with people who are out of step with their values.”
