The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

A MAN died in the parking lot of the Fox Hill Police Station shortly after he and a woman were shot while driving Wednesday morning.

The woman driver was able to make it to the police station after the two were injured. The male victim died at the scene while the female was taken to hospital. Her condition was not known up to press time.

His death left a family devastated and pushed the murder count to 27 for the year, according to this newspaper’s records. A source said the deceased was in his 20s and is Steffon “Chubby” Rolle.

Speaking to reporters outside the Fox Hill station, Assistant Superintendent (ASP) Audley Peters said the two victims were driving on Lumumba Lane shortly before 9am Wednesday when they were fired at.

“They were approached by a black vehicle that opened fire on them, hitting both occupants about the body. The driver was able to drive to the Fox Hill Police Station. While at the police station, the passenger succumbed to his injuries. The driver was transported to hospital. The condition of the driver is not known at this time,” ASP Peter said.

The victim’s car was visible at the police station, riddled with bullet holes.

Earlier this month, 17-year-old Jason Joseph was killed on Rahming Street, which is in Fox Hill. ASP Peters said that the force is doing its part to fight crime.

He commented: “Whenever a crime happens, we’re concerned and so all our efforts will not be spared in trying to alleviate any sort of crime from happening anywhere in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.”

A woman at the scene, said to be the mother of the deceased, screamed with grief as police processed the area.

“Lord, what did I do to deserve this,” she shouted, as a group of people held her up.

She wailed as the victim’s body was placed into a hearse before collapsing into the arms of loved ones.

Khandi Gibson, founder of the non-profit organisation Families of All Murder Victims (FOAM), was at the scene to offer support.

She said she knows the victim’s family and said the deceased was a nice young man.

“The mother was just in the office just to drop off a donation and so when I heard her son was killed, I had to leave my office,” she said.

The activist pleaded for the violence to stop as communities are now “broken” and “turning into cemeteries”.

“I don’t know what else to say but we’re asking persons right now to sympathise with this mother. Today is her, it could be anybody else tomorrow. So mothers who have children, please put this family up in prayer. We ask the young men to live as one. Whatever petty differences, please let it go man – nobody wins.

“We just losing too much of our young men. We are losing females too but we’re losing too much of our young men to gun violence.”