The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

AS the country and police continue to grapple with the latest spate of violent crimes, law enforcement officials are seeking the public’s assistance in the three most recent incidents, which have left one man dead and three others in hospital in serious condition.

Officer-in-charge of the Central Detective Unit, Chief Superintendent Clayton Fernander, speaking to the media on the scene of a double shooting on Ross Corner yesterday, lamented the “too bold” nature of crimes occurring in the capital recently, as he insisted that a “handful of prolific offenders” remain hell-bent on terrorising the public.

Shortly after 2am on Monday, a man, said to be a taxi driver, was shot during an argument outside a West Bay Street business, police said. The victim died in hospital shortly afterwards.

Then, shortly after 1pm Monday, a man was stabbed during an argument on a track road off Nassau Street. According to police, he is in hospital in serious condition.

In reference to the double shooting, Chief Supt Fernander said sometime around 4.20 pm Monday, two men, while at a club on Ross Corner, were approached by two armed gunmen, resulting in an exchange of gunfire between the four men.

The two men inside that establishment were both wounded and taken to the Princess Margaret Hospital where they were listed in serious condition.

Police initially reported that the stabbing victim and a shooting victim from the Ross Corner incident had died, but later said this was not true.

These incidents came on the heels of a bloody weekend that saw six people killed between Friday and Sunday.

The frequency of killings and other violent incidents prompted Police Commissioner Ellison Greenslade to hold a press briefing on Monday.

“What we can say here, one of the victims who was shot, as the commissioner (of police) just completed his press briefing, one of those individuals who was shot was highlighted as one of the suspects wanted for murder,” said Chief Supt Fernander.

“(Commissioner Greenslade) had indicated that if they don’t turn themselves in, they will become a target and this is exactly what is playing out here this afternoon.

“So we want to encourage members of the public who continue to hide these individuals out from the police, to please turn these individuals in or they will die on the streets.

“And the police continues, we are trying to protect them, those persons who are wanted, we have visited every home; girlfriends and all of that, informing them to turn those individuals in and they refuse.

“So this is the end result to it. And if they don’t, as I said, they will die on the street,” he added.

Since the start of 2017 – 44 days – there have been 27 killings across the country.

Investigations into these matters are continuing.