The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS 

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

A suspected armed robbery, which turned fatal late Sunday night, has pushed the country’s murder count to 15 for the year, according to The Tribune’s records.

The victim, according to reports, was in a business establishment on Taylor Street, Nassau Village, shortly before midnight when a gunman forced his way into the business and shot him in his body several times before fleeing on foot.

The victim was taken to hospital where he later died.

The incident occurred just under nine hours after a father of two was gunned down in a brazen drive-by shooting in Fox Hill.

In the earlier incident, according to Chief Superintendent Solomon Cash, two men were riding a moped in Fox Hill when one of them opened fire on two men. One died at the scene and the other is in hospital. CSP Cash added that officers from the Mobile Unit were patrolling the area when the incident occurred and actually witnessed the shooting.

Providing an update on these two homicides yesterday, Assistant Commissioner of Police Clayton Fernander, the officer in-charge of crime investigations, said police were “combing through” several significant leads, telling The Tribune that information presented to officers in the Fox Hill matter had led investigators back to that community around noon yesterday.

“Officers are presently on the ground in both matters,” he said when contacted. “What we know at this time in the Fox Hill shooting is significant and we are following all avenues of our investigation there. In Nassau Village, we are appealing to members of the public to help us along and assist where they can.”

ACP Fernander said the Nassau Village shooting appeared to be isolated, suggesting that armed robbery could have been the motive behind the killing.

The shooting came after another man was attacked and shot outside a party on Samson Street in Nassau Village early Saturday morning.

That victim, who was taken to hospital in a private vehicle, was listed in stable condition.

Nassau Village was highlighted by police during a recent walkabout to mark the start of the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s “Police Month”.

During a tour of the area, Assistant Superintendent of Police Stephen Maycock, the acting commander of the Southeastern Division, noted the steady decrease in criminal activity in that community.

He, however, also noted the rise in the theft of cars and car parts despite targeted police efforts.

Nonetheless at the time, he said, community officers had matters there under control.

The victims in the Nassau Village shootings have not been identified by police, but investigations into both matters are continuing.

In the Fox Hill case, the victim has been identified as Jovardo Thompson, 26.

On Sunday, police told The Tribune officers were investigating the discovery of a body found in Grand Bahama on Saturday with blunt force trauma injuries as a homicide. However, an autopsy is needed to determine the exact cause of death in that case.

Anyone with information related to these or any other matters is asked to call police at 919, 502-9991 or Crime Stoppers at 328-TIPS.