Police are today looking for a looking for a lone gunman in connection to Bermuda’s latest shooting incident that left two men; both in their twenties, gunned down with multiple gunshot injuries.
Both men were treated at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital on Friday night, where at last check; they were listed in stable condition, with reports reaching Bermuda Real that they reportedly sustained multiple gunshot wounds to their lower extremities.
Speaking at a news conference held on Saturday morning (October 24), Detective Inspector Kenten Trott of the Serious Crime Unit gave a further description.
The suspect is said to be 5ft 8in tall, of slim to medium build, who was riding a dark coloured motorcycle east on St John’s Road right after shots were fired around 9.15pm on Friday night near a house on Pembroke Park Lane in Pembroke.
He was wearing a dark helmet, dark trousers and a light coloured jacket.
Police Commissioner Stephen Corbishley, in his opening remarks, said: “It is an area that we know, it is an area that we’re working closely with the community to tackle everything from antisocial behaviour and other forms of criminality and indeed our attention was being paid to this location throughout the period that’s referred to.”
Acting Chief Inspector Scott Devine, the Officer in Charge of the island’s parish officers, outlined what they have done and what they “will continue to do” following reports by area residents of antisocial behaviour in their neighbourhood.
“The key issue for us is to maintain the confidence of the community, that we support them, we protect them and we identify the facts on what has taken place,” he said.
“We have been made aware by local residents about an increase in antisocial behaviour in the area over the last several weeks and we’ve been working closely with members of the community and local residents to try and tackle those concerns, so much so that we’ve had an increased presence up here that has actually led to some police enforcement measures in recent weeks.”
He encouraged area residents to continue working with them.
“We’re here now and we’re not going away and we’re here to support the community to try and tackle some of the concerns in this neighbourhood. So I would actively encourage anybody who has any information or wants to work alongside of us to reach out to the local parish officer who is PC Dill or myself and we can progress moving things along in the neighbourhood.
Asked what type of antisocial behaviour he was referring to Inspector Devine said; “Very broad antisocial behaviour, groups of men gathering, criminality drug use, alcohol consumption on the streets, things of that nature.”
Police Commissioner Stephen Corbishley said the area has been had been given extra attention after complaints from residents.
The stepped up police presence was “a reflection of the way we work in partnership with the community”.
“The Premier has raised concerns about this location, as it is in his constituency,” he added.
Meanwhile, Premier David Burt toured the area on Saturday to speak to residents; with Pastor Leroy Bean, Bermuda’s Gang Violence Reduction Co-ordinator, whose crisis response team was deployed shortly after the incident as neighbours gathered near the scene of the shooting.
And they were back in the area on Saturday to speak to residents and “gather information”.
Asked whether or not this latest incident was linked to other recent shootings, Mr Trott said it was still too early to say. He also said it was still too early to tell what type of gun was used as police continue to gather forensic evidence.
Police are now appealing for witnesses or anyone with information that could assist in this latest shooting incident to contact them on 211, the main number, 295-0011, the Serious Crime Unit on 717-2345, or the independent, confidential Crime Stoppers hotline on 800-8477.
