Police remove the partially burned body of a man from a dirt road off Cowpen Road.
By LAMECH JOHNSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
ljohnson@tribunemedia.net
POLICE said they are very worried about the recent escalation in murders after the partially burnt body of a man was discovered in southern New Providence.
The body – if designated a murder will already be the country’s fourth for the new year and 11th within two weeks – was discovered in bushes off Cowpen Road yesterday morning. A stabbing case, which the police are still investigating, has not as yet been classified. However, it is the fifth killing for the five-day-old New Year.
“We are extremely concerned about the number of homicides that we have been seeing over the last couple of days,” Assistant Commissioner of Police Anthony Ferguson said.
“We urge members of the public to be extremely co-operative when they have information, to let us know about the conflicts that may be arising so there could be early intervention.”
The majority of recent murders have been shooting incidents, most notably the drive-by attack on Freedom Park in Fox Hill, where 11 were shot and four killed on December 28.
This came only 10 days after an attack on a Bain Town “Peace Party” in which eight people were shot, one of them fatally.
Another seven people have been shot and another four killed since the Fox Hill incident.
While police have yet to officially classify yesterday’s burned body, Tribune sources indicate it was indeed a murder and is being investigated as such.
Mr Ferguson who said police received reports of the discovery around 7:30am yesterday.
“The brief information we are working with at the moment, is that sometime shortly after 7:30 this morning, the police got a report that the body of a partially burnt male was seen through a road just off Cowpen Road”.
“Uniform officers along with detectives responded and upon arrival, as you can see the crime scene tape to my south, discovered the body of a male,partially burned just on the side of the road.”
The Tribune was informed that the man’s face was the only part of his body not burned, and so he can still be identified.
The first murder of 2014 took place at around 2am last Tuesday on New Year’s Day, January 1. Police say the victim was sitting on a vehicle in Hospital Lane, when a man armed with a handgun approached him and shot him several times before fleeing on foot.
The victim was taken to hospital by a private vehicle where he died of his injuries.
The next day — January 2— around 7pm, according to reports, two men were sitting in front of an apartment complex on Buttonwood Avenue, Pinewood Gardens, when the occupants of a vehicle pulled up and fired several shots at them before speeding off.
One of the men received multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene. The other man was taken to hospital where he is detained in stable condition for a gunshot wound in his leg.
Minutes later a man was gunned down by the occupants of a gold coloured car while at Taylor Street, off East Street, shortly after 8pm.
These shooting incidents come just days after Prime Minister Perry Christie revealed the government’s new plan to tackle crime.
Some of the initiatives include, re-introducing the 12-hour shift for police, creating a gang unit and passing laws to bind the hands of judges to prevent them from allowing persons accused of serious crimes to be granted bail.
The unveiling of the crime plan was sparked by escalating crime and the gratuitous violence visited upon the community of Freedom Park, Fox Hill when three men and a woman, sitting in the park on the evening of December 27, were killed and four others were seriously injured in a drive-by shooting. It is believed that the random shootings might have been sparked by a shooting the night before of a 29-year-old man sitting on an upturned bucket at the side of Dorsett Street, Fox Hill, around midnight. It was reported that shots came from a silver coloured four-door Honda with several occupants as it drove by. The shooting took place at about midnight.
Comments
proudloudandfnm 10 years, 11 months ago
Last I heard policing was 24 hours. So what's this big deal about 12 hour shifts? It would be much better to run 3 x 8 hour shifts, this way you have fresh, rested cops on the beat. What we need are more police officers, team young with old. But out of the last two police classes in Freeport not one has been hired yet. Why? Immediately do an urgent transfer of funds and double the man power on the force. Saturate the problem areas with constant patrols, do road blocks and search cars for weapons, stalk all the known criminals. Stal em hard, if they go pee be there. If they go out on a boat, be there.
Time for real police work. Give Ellison until summer to produce results if not fire him and put someone else in place.
Give the police force the money they need to protect us please..
JohnDoes 10 years, 11 months ago
Well I hope you all heard the news from the horses mouth that as long as the Privy Council exists, it is highly unlikely that the 'Death Penalty' will be sought. So the question is, Who is really in charge? I know Barbados and the latter also adhere to the Privy Council but at the same time, they are still carrying out the Death Penalty. Hell with the European Union, they have their barriers on crime but what does that have to do with us? Is this government taking 'governance' seriously? This is a prime example of the Government's focus and infatuation with Kleptocracy. This is a Kleptocracy, not a democracy, that is just for 'show'. Our criminals are using old brazen tactics and beat our system every time. I know that the man they charged out of the 60 people held for the Fox Hill massacre (for example), is probably telling the truth. The suspect has given substantial evidence that is alleged to not have placed him on the scene, video surveillance and all yet he is remanded until March for a trial. This is not due process, this is corruption to promote false confession in order to produce a so called 'speedy process'. We the people are not free. I advise everyone to start saving, not for VAT, but to get the hell out of here. The government is not focused on the people, they are more concerned with hiding the atrocities of a failed plan, mainly because of their Pride and now the Privy Council has them by the noose. I rather the Queen of England address us than Mr Oblivious Christie because it seems as if, he dont even care, or too old to possess the mental capacity that the boy who cries 'wolf' will not be taken seriously until it is too late. This whole scenario and many more is why Bahamians dont respect the law, and do as they please. The government is too busy asking others for advice, but how can they if they cant even recognize and relate to the 'average' Bahamian, their way of life. This is crazy, excuse to pussyfoot to excuse and more pussyfoot. I have lost hope for this country.
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 11 months ago
Yeah, I don't think they ever caught Hal Taylor's murderer either. I was directed to read Nikki Kelly's Monday article, she claims that Christie is the biggest threat to national security, she's right.
star 10 years, 11 months ago
Not quite getting the headline. Is there a "Police Alarm", or are the Police Alarmed?
B_I_D___ 10 years, 11 months ago
Someone needs to tell our Fearless DPM that crime exists...he was just chirping the other day about how well the fight against crime has gone and that crime is down...
TalRussell 10 years, 11 months ago
Unnecessary fear is being spread when those in charge are throwing up their arms on combating crime. Crime statics differ with our leaders. Despite crime being down alarms are still sounding. Doesn't make sense when the PM, DPM, Commish of da Policeman's and his direct boss the minister of security seem be at odds. What in the hell is going on with this government? Could there some secret plan afoot to replace the PM that is not being talked about? Even the BEC Chairman appointed by the PM has fired leadership warning shots across the PM's leadership bow, either he brings back the Hangman's noose or get the hell out of the House of Assembly.
Honestman 10 years, 11 months ago
Crime is most certainly NOT down. This government thinks the public are gullible fools. Even the 40% that were taken in by the party of false hope at the last election are now coming to the realization that they were DUPED.
briwest1773 10 years, 11 months ago
Everyone is confused...only the criminals don't seem to be confused. Their goal is to ruin the country and they are succeeding!!
John 10 years, 11 months ago
You may soon start to see police officers suffering from shell shock and battle fatigue, not unlike soldier who have been on the frontline of battle for some time. Some may end up in Sandilands, others on drugs or alcohol and some may just become rory's, this is ours' or unconcerned citizens?
concernedcitizen 10 years, 11 months ago
@hey lil john ,,many years ago when i was involved in less then stellar activities when ever we needed a handgun we bought them from crooked cops ..we have out breed our gdp and can no longer afford to put the "unemployable " on the public purse ..The only solution to our rising crime and poverty is birth control /family planning or salt peter in the water ,,short of that our future will be like Jamaica ,closed resorts ,,ghettos and crime ,,you can,t do the same thing and expect different results ,,single mothers of 6 for 3 absentee dads only produce one thing ,,,crimminals
John 10 years, 11 months ago
Why are you still on this birth control issue? are you J E L A O U S of a Black Bahamian Man's virility? OR is it The Black Bahamian Woman's fertility? MAYBE White Bahamians need to produce more children, before the Chinese start.
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 11 months ago
Because the root cause of many of our problems is the breakdown of the family, partly due to indiscriminate sexual practices among single persons, partly due to dual parent homes where parents were never taught/learned how to parent. The virile young unemployed man with 6 children for 5 different women is choking off our future, not to mention that of his 6 children
concernedcitizen 10 years, 11 months ago
@LILJOHN ,funny you don,t even now which colour i am ,however your reply proves my point and if a majority of Bahamians think making babies proves there manhood the results are easy to predict ,just what is happening now ,more crime and more poverty ,,,,
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 11 months ago
Once again Christian John showing us how Jesus would do it
John 10 years, 11 months ago
For God so loved the world that he gave his only son to die....John 3:16
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 11 months ago
That's not what you said before...first impressions...
ohdrap4 10 years, 11 months ago
dang, i did not get an honourable mention!
TalRussell 10 years, 11 months ago
Unless Bahamalanders want to paint a picture of Bamalmand as some crime ridden group of Islands, somebody had better start to defy those politicians and media establishments who can't wait to use the next "major" crime as their excuse to ring the crime wave bell around the world. We have many Islands in our Bahamaland, for many a major crime is once a year when someone steals their clothes drying on they clothesline. I expect leadership from our PM and over leaders, not throw up their damn hands in defeat to the tiny percentage of Bahamalanders causing problems. Comrades don't help to sell the bad news. Crime is a homegrown product and only homegrown people can deal with solving it. If we grew it we can rip/chop up its damn roots. if the PM and his ministers and maybe the policemans is ducking in fear, we all need to get we wild bush chopping tools at the ready.
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 11 months ago
“We cannot hide the truth,” Davis said back in April 2012. “Are we about hiding the truth? Are we going to be concerned about the impression that the truth gives? “The only way we can get rid of these things is to address the issue. The fact is that there were more than 490 murders in this country (since 2007). We can not run away from that.” In a letter to the editor of The Nassau Guardian dated August 29, 2011, Davis wrote that Turnquest should have been replaced because of the rising murder count. *“That’s why it is imperative in the upcoming general election that the Bahamian people replace the failed FNM government with a Progressive Liberal Party government that will have the know-how, the commitment, the political will and determination to restore respect for law and order in this country,” *
TalRussell 10 years, 11 months ago
Comrade I think you totally missed my point. Since you brought the reds into the conversation, probably the slickest trick the devil ever pulled on Bahamalanders has to be from 2007 -2012, when the red shirts tried to convince Bahamalanders that crime doesn't exist. But boy have they changed their minds when reduced to (7) Her Majesty's Official Opposition House seats. Oops, (6) seats cause i forgets Marsh Harbour's Edision done "torched" he red T-shirt. Seems like both the Cooper's Town's "Love Offering" Red Candidate and Edison have become red shirt disenfranchised?
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 11 months ago
Ok I don't get the point then. Newspapers deliver news. If someone is murdered they report that. If the murder count is rising they report that. If the crime rate is alarming they report that. I don't get where it's sensational to report what is actually happening. I would say our crime is under reported. When a murder is not newsworthy enough to make the front page we are in trouble
Now if someone prepared billboards with those facts and placed them around town, especially in tourist areas, that is definitely sensational because it goes far beyond what is needed to report the news to the public and Brave should be ashamed of that.
MarkTa 10 years, 11 months ago
The terrifying part is if crime keeps growing and scares of tourism the unemployment will increase dramatically causing a crime wave way worst than it is now.
I really hope DNA gets elected, lets give a new party a chance instead of the dance between fnm and plp
TheMadHatter 10 years, 11 months ago
Nice idea. The people had their chance, and failed. Only 8% of the vote was for DNA - and not even ONE seat did they get.
You would think that the Bahamas was just a bed of roses over the past 20 years from those election results.
The people are getting exactly what they voted for.
When 2017 comes, they will vote the FNM in again to give them back the same thing that they voted against in 2012 by putting in the PLP. Then after that it will be the PLP again in 2022.
The people LOVE CRIME and they LOVE the failed education system and they LOVE having no jobs and no money and they LOVE the public health system that lets you wait in the emergency room all night until morning and then says to come back the next day and they LOVE the defense force providing free transportation to Haitians from Ragged Island or other southern island to Nassau and charging us for the fuel and salary costs and they LOVE accused murderers and armed robbers being able to wiggle through the justice system and be back out on the streets in just a few months (or less) to commit more crime.
These are the things that they love. That is why they will not vote for the DNA in 2017 - but instead will most likely put the FNM back in, or if worried about the FNM at that time, they will give the PLP another 5 year term.
TheMadHatter
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 11 months ago
I eehn giving nobody no "chance" with my future. As far as I can see a mini-me Ingraham is leading the party (and I like Ingraham) and those in run up to the leadership all sold their birthright fir some silver, what kind of party is that. They didn't even get out the gate yet.
TalRussell 10 years, 11 months ago
Your Comrade Green Leader live on this morning's Darold Miller Talk Show actually went as far as to accuse PM Christie performing a cut & paste act, when it comes to the PM's newly announced crime initiatives. Yet, when pressed by a caller Bran himself had to fess-up to his own new crime initiatives, amounting to no more than a cut & paste right from the pages of his old crime solution book. Your Comrade Bran said lots more rubbish and I long for a chance in the coming days to expose a number of the most outlandish solutions i have heard hard anyone offer when it comes to dealing with Bahamaland's serious crime issues. Talk about crime policies in that man's that are call for some pretty brutal enforcement. If Bran really thinks this way, why bother putting the word "Democratic" in his party's name? Today Bran really tried his best to sound too much like a "little Papa" for my liking.
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 11 months ago
I don't think any of them have the solution, our national security needs to be outsourced.
positiveinput 10 years, 11 months ago
No they don't have any solutions even in mind. Look at just a few months when Alvin Smith saw the pile of mess Down Town. Before he do what any individual would who respects their island would and remove it himself, he preferred to monitor it for hours and called the newspapers. Now why waste the taught that these other persons have a solution. Traffic signs are needed to avoid simple accidents (e.g. Blue Hill Road south and the entrance of Golden Gates corner with Lily's Takeaway) instructing motorist to keep left of the road median. Yet crime is expected to have a solution. As one would travel around this island, many simple problems with simple solutions go unsolved (fixed) so don't look for crime to be lowered just yet.
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 11 months ago
Nah cone on, you expect Alvin Smith to pick that up? Seriously?..maybe Leslie Miller, I can see him now "man who leave their #%^ round here, I bet is that Stephano Greene, just wait till I send out the next memo"
John 10 years, 11 months ago
We live in a country where the church is more silent on murder than it it is on gambling. You wanna bet what the rea$on I$?
leeza 10 years, 11 months ago
We as a people need to put a government in place who will start hanging. Be you PLP,FNM, DNA or other if the party you supports or supported is not serious on implementing capital punishment then vote for the party who is. If we don't we will all continue to suffer.
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