The Tribune

By MORGAN ADDERLEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

madderley@tribunemedia.net

ABACO resident Meric Russell, 33, was making a quick trip to Nassau to attend his cousin’s funeral. He had only been in the capital for a few short hours before he was fatally shot in a double homicide at Potter’s Cay Dock on Wednesday night.

Latario Lockhart, 27, was the other victim of that tragic incident. A young man of promise, he was described by relatives as “warm-hearted,” “kind-spirited,” and full of talent. In the 10th grade he received a basketball scholarship to attend a Miami high school.

In separate interviews with The Tribune yesterday, the families of both men decried the level of violence in the country as they mourned the loss of their loved ones.

Commissioner of Police Anthony Ferguson told reporters yesterday afternoon that officers expect to make an arrest “very shortly” and already had an “associate” of the suspect in custody. He also reiterated the safety of Potter’s Cay Dock despite the incident.

“He was an outgoing, fun, lovable type. Anyone who came in contact with him…falls in love with him,” Lakeisha Penn Russell, 30, said of her late husband of four years.

Russell, a father of two young daughters, had been an aviation fireman for over 10 years. He was also an avid fisherman.

“His cousin is a prison officer,” Mrs Russell said. “His funeral is today [Thursday]. And he came over for that. He only was in Nassau for couple hours before they shoot him. He come on the Bahamasair last flight.”

Mrs Russell said she was at work when she learned of her husband’s murder. She said he met up with the family after landing and visited Potter’s Cay.

“My husband was not really a partying person like out in the club…So when I get the news that he dead and he dead Potter’s Cay Dock, that’s not my husband type of scene. But he just was at the wrong place at the wrong time. He wasn’t in no gang, nothing. An honest man working to support his family. And it’s so sad.”

When asked how she’s coping with his sudden loss, Mrs Russell said: “It’s hard, it’s very hard. Because when people kill someone that you love so dear, they don’t know that they also affect you. But…it’s life. I will never question God and ask why.

“The government really needs to shape up when it comes to this violence,” she added, also calling for an end to bail for accused murderers.

Lockhart, affectionately known as “Tario,” was described by his step-sister Karen Bodie, 26, as a beloved brother, uncle, and friend.

“He’s the baby,” Ms Bodie said. “He’s his mummy only boy…it was just his sister and him. That’s all she had.”

The grief and love of Lockhart’s mother, Verlisa Pritchard, was powerful.

“He’s a humble sweet person,” Ms Bodie continued. “He’s always about family. He wasn’t no troublesome person, didn’t get in no problems at all. So this came as a shock to everybody to know that something like this transpired just abruptly.”

According to Ms Bodie, Lockhart returned to Nassau a couple years ago and currently worked in the hotel industry. She added he frequents Potter’s Cay Dock, either by himself or with friends, “just chilling out and having fun.”

“[You trying to] tell me now you can’t go out no more and sit down, have fun? You kill my brother for what?” Ms Bodie asked angrily.

Less than 12 hours after this tragedy, two more young men were killed in a shooting incident on Kemp Road Thursday morning.

During a walkabout of the area, Commissioner Ferguson addressed both tragedies.

“I’ll speak to the incident that took place last night about 8 on Potter’s Cay Dock,” he said. “I want to make it quite clear, despite what you hear on social media, these two matters are not connected.

“I’m satisfied that we know who the person is. I expect very shortly, hopefully by the end of the day [Thursday] we ought to make an arrest in respect to that individual. We also have the associate of the person who was along with the person last night.”

Commissioner Ferguson added it is “unfortunate” that this incident took place at an area as popular as Potter’s Cay.

When asked to comment on public concerns about the safety of the area, Commissioner Ferguson spoke about both Arawak Cay and Potter’s Cay.

“I believe that we have adequate officers stationed on Arawak Cay. Adequate officers, a little small plot. But when you have persons who are going out with bad intentions, they are the people that you have to watch out for. And disassociate yourself with those persons.

“So anybody is free to go to Potter’s Cay Dock. It’s still a very much safe area to go in. I sometimes go there. Members of my team sometimes go there, same as it is with Arawak Cay. And so Bahamians need not allow a handful of lil’ criminals to stop them from going out.

“It goes to what I said last year, and I repeat it again: We have to be very careful of those persons who come and assemble around decent people. And people ought to be able to look around and determine ‘this area just don’t feel right…let me leave from here.’ So I just want to say that. And I say again: you have these incidents of shooting. There are too many weapons in the hands of the wrong people.”

He added many people are not socialised at home and therefore when inebriated become violent.

“And rather than sit down and talk things over, they go and get some. . .tool. That start from at home, aye? That starts from at home.”

Island Delight, the Potter’s Cay stall where the incident occurred, released a statement shortly afterwards, extending condolences to the family and assuring patrons that it is a “well-respected, peaceful establishment and an incident on this scale is rare.”