The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was shot and killed on Deveaux Street Monday morning, becoming the nation’s 11th murder victim for the year.

Police did not reveal the victim’s identity up to press time Monday. However, he was identified by friends as 38-year-old Anwar Tucker, aka “Bats”.

Distraught family members and friends reacted furiously to his death with loud cries and wails heard at the scene.

“Oh, my brother? Why they kill my brother,” cried one grief-stricken relative.

Police press liaison officer, ASP Audley Peters told reporters that shortly before 9am officers were alerted to a shooting incident in the area of Deveaux Street east of Market Street.

Upon arrival at the scene, officers found a man’s body lying on the ground next to a vehicle with apparent gunshot wounds.

Paramedics were called, but pronounced him dead at the scene.

According to ASP Peters, the incident unfolded when two gunmen approached the victim near a bar and fired shots in his direction, fatally wounding him.

“The facts are a vehicle approached the victim, two males exited and discharged a firearm upon the victim,” ASP Peters said at the scene.

“Preliminary information is the male would be in about his mid-30s. There is no motive at this time. We’re in the initial stages of investigation, but in respect to him being known to police, that is not verified at the moment.”

ASP Peters said initial information does not suggest the incident was gang or retaliation- related. However, he said officers were following promising information on the country’s latest homicide.

“We’re in our initial stages,” he said. “Officers are canvassing the area. The information seemed promising and in due course as we follow the protocols and the assistance of members of the public, which encourages us to do our work, we believe that we will bring this matter (to a) closure (as) swift as possible.”

Monday's homicide comes less than a week after a man was found dead on a track road off Graham Drive in Yellow Elder Gardens.

Last Thursday, ASP Peters told reporters that police were alerted by a concerned citizen that a body was found unresponsive on a track road. Upon their arrival, they found a man with apparent gunshot wounds.

When questioned how long the body had been there, the police press liaison officer said it appeared that rigor mortis had already set in and estimated the deceased had been there about 12 hours.

On Monday, ASP Peters told reporters that increased use of illegal firearms continues to be a main cause of concern for officers.

“In any area of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, crime is an issue for us but what is more concerning is the proliferation of guns on our streets,” he said.

“And we’re encouraged by the reports we’ve been receiving from members of the public who have been assisting us or furnishing us with information from persons who they know to be in possession of firearms and lately, we’ve been having great success based on the goodwill of members of the public reporting persons whom they are aware brandishing firearms in their community. That’s the greater concern at the moment in respect to incidents such as these.”

Anyone with information about Monday’s incident or any other crime is asked to call police at 502-9991 or Crime Stoppers at 328-TIPS (8477).