The Tribune

By FARRAH JOHNSON

A 31-YEAR-OLD father died in hospital after he was shot during a home invasion early yesterday morning.

Two gunmen kicked in a door of the residence at Lobster Avenue off Baillou Hill Road and opened fire on the victim as several other relatives, including small children, slept in their rooms.

While police have not officially released his identity, The Tribune understands he is Robert Ryan Smith.

Police said shortly after 5am two men forced entry into the home of Smith and shot him before fleeing on foot.

Paramedics were called to the scene and transported the victim to hospital, where he later succumbed to the injuries.

Residents in the area, who requested anonymity, said they had never experienced an incident like this before.

One neighbour, who has lived in the area for more than 27 years, said: “Normally I would be alert on what’s happening around because if a cat jump(s) I normally (would notice), but that one, all I could say, man the good lord must be just put me to sleep last night and say don’t witness anything like that… I didn’t hear nothing.

“So this morning when I got up around 5:45am I just saw lots of lights flashing basically, then I saw a lot of police officers.” 

The Lobster Avenue resident added he could not think of a motive the shooters could have had, and said he is uncertain if the incident is gang related.

“I’m very familiar with the victim he was like a son to me, (he was) very respectful (and he would) always stop and hail... I knew him from a youngster (and) I watched him grow up, so it really hit me hard this morning,” the neighbour continued.

Although he can’t say for certain, the neighbour said he also thinks the victim has two young children: one son and a daughter.

“I think the father said they (the shooters) came from the back because they have washroom in the back and a door in the back that they walk through,” he said.

Another neighbour said the first they knew of the murder was when the body was being removed from the home because they had to drop their children to school.

“I don’t know whether it was a break-in or anything because when I come everything was done over. I only saw the ambulance and the police car. The young gentleman was a very quiet child. I didn’t expect something like this to happen here because it is a very quiet area.”

Police are appealing to members of the public for any information that can assist in the investigation to call 919/911, CDU at 502-9991/2 or crime stoppers line at 328-8477 (328-TIPS).

Investigations are ongoing.

• Police reported last night another man had died as a result of a shooting in a bar at Market Street and Bahama Avenue.

Officers who were called to the bar after reports of shots being fired discovered a man with gunshot wounds. He was rushed to hospital but died subsequently died of his injuries.

The two deaths bring the total number of murders recorded by The Tribune so far this year to 35