Officials take a body away from the scene of a double homicide on Thompson Lane yesterday where two men were shot dead. Photo: Racardo Thomas/Tribune Staff
By EARYEL BOWLEG
Tribune Staff Reporter
ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
FOUR separate shooting incidents in three days have left five people dead and two others in hospital in critical condition.
The latest killings took place Sunday after 6pm on Thompson Lane, less than 24 hours after two other men, one of whom died, were shot on the same street.
Police are investigating whether any of the weekend homicides are connected or possibly gang-related. Police are also investigating whether retaliation played a factor.
Superintendent Audley Peters said Sunday’s victims were in their mid-twenties. He said they were not related.
He told the media on the scene that shortly after 6pm police control room received reports of a shooting incident that occurred on Thompson Lane.
“Our officers were dispatched and on the arrival of the first responders they met two males suffering from gunshot wounds lying on the ground. Emergency Medical Service were dispatched and on their arrival on the scene they examined the victims, one of the males was pronounced lifeless on scene. The other was transported to the hospital where a short time ago he succumbed to his injuries,” Supt Peters said.
“The initial investigation in this incident suggests that two persons were standing at the end of a residence when a dark sedan pulled up. A lone gunman exited that vehicle and discharged his weapon at those two gentlemen injuring them, resulting in their deaths.”
Asked if this incident was possibly connected to another recent murder, he replied: ”There’s a possibility that there is a connection and we won’t rule it out—(we) just have to put all the dots together and do the victimology. That will tell us who it is, what’s the reason and we’ll (go) from there.”
A reporter pointed out that members of the RBPF’s anti-gang unit were on the scene. Supt Peters explained that wherever there is a firearm-related matter that unit is responsible for coming out and doing an investigation.
“The reason that they’re here is to canvas the area and listen to what the word is on the street, act on it, and verify what they’re saying whether it be true or not,” Supt Peters said.
The weekend of bloodshed began on Friday when one man was killed and another was transported to the hospital.
While police did not officially give the identity of the victim, The Tribune understands the deceased is Vernal Stubbs.
Supt Peters told reporters on that scene that the two victims appeared to be friends in their early 30s.
He said shortly after 5pm on Friday, police received a complaint of a shooting incident that occurred on Eighth Street, Coconut Grove.
“Officers were dispatched and on the arrival of the first responders they met a white jeep on the eastern side of Eighth Street with two inside suffering from gunshot wounds. Emergency Medical Services visited the scene and following the assessment of the technicians, one of the males was pronounced lifeless.
“Initial investigation indicates at least two males were standing outside the residence when a vehicle approached them. Two males exited that vehicle brandishing firearms and discharged their weapons at the males, injuring them about their bodies.“
One woman at the scene revealed the heartbreak of losing her brother.
“They kill my brother and he don’t bother nobody,” the woman said. “They kill me too because that’s my brother.
“They take away one of my heart away from me. They take away my baby. I don’t know what to say. I have too much love for my brothers.”
A person close to the victim said the culprits killed somebody who helped the people in the community.
“They took down a good person,” another resident said. “They took down a good person. He’s a well-respected person and people love him. You can get the shirt off his back. For something like that to happen, we never would’ve thought that would happen to him.”
The other man taken to hospital was confirmed to be a family friend.
Two other men were killed on Saturday.
Supt Peters said that sometime after 2pm, police received complaints of a shooting that occurred on Thompson Lane off East Street. Officers were dispatched and on the arrival of the first responders, they found a male in his twenties lying on the southern side of Thompson Lane crouched against a building. He was unresponsive following the officers’ examination and pronounced dead at the scene by EMS.
He said four children under the age of 10 were on the scene when the incident happened, but none were injured.
“The particulars or the initial investigation suggest that a vehicle which was a jeep came through the street as young men gathered playing a game and two occupants exited that vehicle armed with firearms and discharged those weapons at those young men,” Supt Peters said on Saturday. “A number of them scattered however this victim was shot about his body and succumbed to the injuries.”
He said police have a “promising” investigation.
Asked if police suspect this shooting is gang-related, he said “the streets are saying that” but added police could not confirm that angle at the moment.
Asked if the murder is connected in anyway to Friday’s shooting, Supt Peters added he could not conclusively say that at this stage in the investigation.
On Sunday, Supt Peters confirmed that a second person was shot in the Thompson Lane incident and was taken to hospital in critical condition.
Hours later, after 10pm, police were called to Cordeaux Avenue as result of a shooting incident.
The victim in that incident is said to be in his early 50s.
“On the arrival of our first responders, they discovered a grey vehicle parked on the southern side of Cordeaux Avenue west of Market Street. An inspection of that vehicle revealed an adult male suffering from wounds consistent with gunshots. A check of his vital signs and he was unresponsive hence EMS was called. On their arrival, following the assessment of the technicians, they pronounced that male lifeless following their assessment,” Supt Peters said.
“The particulars at the moment are that this male was coming home and as he pulled up to his residence two vehicles pulled up behind him. Suspects exited one of the vehicles and armed with firearms they discharged their weapon at the victim hitting multiple times and succumbed on the scene.”
He went on to assure the public that the police are putting their “best foot forward” in the wake of the recent spate of gun violence.
“Our response at the moment is a robust police presence on the ground,” he said “. . .We are doing aggressive stops and searches in the Coconut Grove area where we’ve initiated some exercises and other areas. I could assure the members of the public we’re putting our best foot forward.
“However, this must be done in partnership with members of the community. How do we need your partnership - your eyes, your ears, and your information. If you know something, say something because we are in this together collectively. We are encouraged to do our work and we will continue to do our work.”
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 502-9991 or Crime Stoppers at 328-TIPS.
Comments
SP 2 years, 1 month ago
This is a simple problem to solve. Crime will continue to grow until we get rid of the 30,000 nonessential low skilled blue collar expats holding jobs Bahamians should have.
Proguing 2 years, 1 month ago
You think these blood thirsty gang members want a low paying blue collar job? I am always amazed how some people try to justify crime in the Bahamas.
SP 2 years, 1 month ago
Google "Identifying the Effect of Unemployment on Crime" You will be amazed by how much your ignorance is only surpassed by your prejudiced bigotry!
tribanon 2 years, 1 month ago
It's the illegal aliens that are the real problem.....and we all know idle time is the Devil's time.
John 2 years, 1 month ago
Despite laws being passed to criminalize gang leadership, gang membership and gang activity, pover a decade ago, practically no one has been brought before the courts on any of these charges. But the majority of young men being gunned down and murdered are gang members. How do you know? Even most of the photos the press use to identify these victims show them throwing up gang signs. And so here’s the problem. Even though these guys may have joined gangs years ago, probably when they were still in high school or even junior high school, they are not now active gang members. So when the ward break out between gangs, they are not expecting it to affect them. So they do nothing to protect themselves and many are caught off guard not being able to protect themselves. And their families and friends may be right when they say, ‘he was innocent, he never troubled anyone, he stay to himself, go to work and come home. Help take care of his family.’ But the fact is a decision they made to join a gang years ago has now cost them their life. And tge talk on the streets is ‘the only way to get outta a gang is by death.’ So it’s being played out every day. And until advisors and counselors are actively educating young men about the dangers of joint gangs, communities will continue to hear gun shots ringing out, families will continue to wail and grieve over dead family members and police will have to continue scooping up bullet riddled bodies.
John 2 years, 1 month ago
Remember when gangs tried to infiltrate the Family Islands? But family values and the close knitted communities were able to stand firm and overpowered them and chase them out.
B_I_D___ 2 years, 1 month ago
It's a NEW DAY!!
carltonr61 2 years, 1 month ago
Come on man. The Holy Bible says there is nothing new under the sun. Election over. Go rewrite the Bible.
carltonr61 2 years, 1 month ago
Sad that lives were lost. That no Police were apparently involved the press are robbed of a target to throw flame on. Somehow the press will switch its narrative then find a way to blame plane police. We might soon hear lackluster response, Police should have could have this that. But when the Police acting on intelligence perform proactively they are labeled as criminals then treated as such. What we are seeing here are some stark realities. Guess this is the kind of society where the Police finds a balance away from outrageous attacks on them when they do their job. Criminals are happy that the outcry has tied Police hands. Now there is no one to cry to. But the most our Police could do now is ask the gentlemen to turn themselves in.
John 2 years, 1 month ago
So how does your gibberish relate to this story?
tribanon 2 years, 1 month ago
You two are a match made in heaven. LOL
John 2 years, 1 month ago
Coming from you that at is a great compliment. Especially since you acknowledge there is a heaven.
tribanon 2 years, 1 month ago
Looks like all of the recent dog whistling Commissioner Rolle has been doing to the vigilantes is starting to bear fruit.
M0J0 2 years, 1 month ago
The police force itself needs reform
carltonr61 2 years, 1 month ago
@john. Trust me that the criminals know how to navigate the law, Police methods, social psychology and the press. The Police relies on ground intelligence and have a fair enough understanding about who is who. The Law has its rules and criminals know how to navigate for their own safety, survival and benefit. Police arrest them and the law release them then street law just takes its course. Guys commit a crime then that good innocent dude smiles and hails the Police. It's a real world were only Super Man Batman and Robin catch the criminal in the act. I guess you are Robin.
John 2 years, 1 month ago
No I am not Robin. I’m a keen observer. I can agree somewhat with some of what you are saying. Firstly though, you must realize that gang warfare is not natural or native to The Bahamas. Yet it represents a great portion of what is known as crime today. When most young men join gangs they do not realize they are taking out a death sentence on themselves and probably the people they hang with. Bahamians are not in the habit of living in fear for their lives and so many are caught off guard and murdered without the opportunity to defend themselves. Many young men join gangs as minor or school boys and a many are not active as gang members when they are gunned down.
carltonr61 2 years, 1 month ago
Gang turf wars are not fought over which area has the the most Academic students, it flourishes as a self sustaining entity that supplies onstant monetary income, girls and protection as driving forces. In many areas cars are farmed for parts and young kids learn the art of car surgery to put money on mommy' table. At that point they are institutionalized and locked into a circle. Parents must play their part in watching the emotions, environmental tolerances, moral norms and survival strategies. It is hard to intervene when whole neighborhoods are funded by car parts and/or illegal Marijuana sales which for many becomes life or death bread on the table.
carltonr61 2 years, 1 month ago
The sooner the government takes control and reign in prohibition to legalization , production, distribution, sales and taxation of Marijuana the better for all in order to stop these killings. Bahamian households and society have at least 60 years of Marijuana experience. It is nothing new to us. There is much-needed educational enforcement to penetrate the many social, and medical stigmas and biases as usage relates to personal choice. Armed Forces Personnel cannot use it as it would take them ten minutes to pull a weapon, as it slowes you down just too much.
sheeprunner12 2 years, 1 month ago
Our youth have little intent to work normal jobs anymore for average wages. So this is the natural outcome.
Blame the 1980s & Pindling. Pigs grow into hogs
John 2 years, 1 month ago
This statement is very prejudice, if not racially so. There are people in the US of all races who are are making five figures but quit jobs and refusing to go to work. Normal jobs paying normal salaries are no longer attractive to many people. And no, crime is not the solution because crime usually means you taking from someone who has less than you do or has more obligations and responsibilities than you do
sheeprunner12 2 years, 1 month ago
What is prejudicial about that? Intent? Blame Pindling? Or pigs?
Help me ....... Because crime is colour blind
John 2 years, 1 month ago
Gangs originated in the US prison system and while they were originally formed to protect inmates who could not defend themselves, they became more violent and deadly under the Clinton administration, where experiments with different drugs were used on inmates. One such experiment was intended to turn individuals into predators. Or as Hillary Clinton called them ‘super predators.” The intent was to have these individuals charged like ‘hunting dogs’ and once they were set on a prey, they would not give up chase until they track down that individual and kill them. Gangs now operate on the same premise that if you are a member of a opposing gang, you must be hunted down and exterminated. And that is why police can often say after a shooting, they have no motive for the killing. Even know they would go even further and say ‘ the victim had no known history with the police. And now after almost four decades of these type killings, police and civil society must now find a way to dismantle the strongholds gangs have on young males. And one means may be to intervene and prevent young men from joining gangs at a school age.
carltonr61 2 years, 1 month ago
The USA still has a serious cocaine and opiate problem. While cocaine like gambling destroyed your life the opiates prescribed unwittingly by Doctors for pain, it became fiercely addictive and also suppressed the heart and lungs so thousands died. Looking back at the eighties world phenomenon and today's plight that saw thousands of lives destroyed by Marijuana which is a lesser risk than alcohol according to evidence and data. We are too intelligent to be boogeyman scare tactic on the issues locking persons up for discriminatory Marijuana possession possessed only by criminals who make millions here then contribute nothing to physical buildup of society. Canada is an aggressor Marijuana distributor that can take over our market here in a day with packaged labeled THC/CDM percentage guarantee. The USA is not as aggressive and we only see wild growth Marijuana from Jamaica here. The social ramifications from all mind altering activities are obvious from obesity alcohol use and gambling. Of them all Marijuana evidence of offense don't come close.
John 2 years, 1 month ago
And yes, gangs in US prisons were structured around race. Blacks, Hispanics and Whites. Outside of prison white gangs are less visible but in some parts of the US at least 60 percent of gang members are white. And yes, many of them may be klan members or on the police force or members of other underground groups. And the recent attack on the US capitol and the actions in recent demonstrations across the US demonstrate how they operate.
sheeprunner12 2 years, 1 month ago
242 needs a Robben Island for these killers. Stop playing games with them
John 2 years, 1 month ago
Most of the white gangsters in this country are politically oriented. They have access to government or politicians so they don’t have to be involved in street killings. But some murders do occur at the political level. Say it ain’t so. And sometimes politicians get cut down so politically, socially or financially, they never recover. But it’s all gang warfare. Wasn’t there a recent attempt to politically assassinate Hubert Minnis and efforts still under way to keep his m out of power.
sheeprunner12 2 years, 1 month ago
Good question John ........... how come none of these street killers killing our politicians, who are really "killing" this country daily??????? Or, are they hired killers????????? ............ This is really a F%&#& -up place
carltonr61 2 years, 1 month ago
@john. Owww. Don't forget that it was the Jamaican Posse that operated East Coast America that began violent gang killing during the eighties. They had the most influence on gangs violence here in The Bahamas. They were manifested in financial control of all street drugs. I recall that CARICOM called on President Clinton because our boy had become a threat to certain situations and circumstances. But even THE USA has legalized Marijuana now though only State Level and not Federal.
John 2 years, 1 month ago
You must go further back than the 1980’s to find the origins of gangs and uprisings. For example the Wats riots started in 1965 to protest the mistreatment of a young , black man, supposedly for driving while intoxicated. Of course the situation had reached a boiling point with mistreatment of blacks by police and discrimination in jobs and housing. And Whilst street gangs were around before the 1980’s they never armed themselves with firearms. But it was in the 2980’s when residents started f housing projects in New York and Chicago and California started waking up and finding train cars in their backyards loaded with high powered weapons and ammunition. It was determined by civil rights leaders that the CIA had infiltrated gangs and incited them not only to fight against each other but to arm themselves with deadly weapons conveniently found in their back yards and neighborhoods. Likewise gangs were seeded and baited in The Bahamas and Caribbean islands. There are documentaries that claim the DEA was actually responsible for putting drugs in the streets in some Caribbean islands then they , with local police would go in and kill notorious’ drug dealers. The first time high powered weapons ever showed up on the streets of New Providence and streets of other Caribbean islands was when hundreds of these weapons went ‘missing’ fir one of the US agencies operation fast and furious. Despite leaders of some of the countries to check the weapons to serial numbers to determine if they were the ones missing from this operation, they got no definite answers. A big misconception is that drugs create gangs and gang violence. Fact is gangsters create gangs, especially gangsters who are being manipulated. Drugs are used to finance gangs. Gangs creat turf wars because their intention is to week havoc on societies and to kill. Many who sell drugs try to avoid the spotlight and avoid getting into violence and murder especially.
carltonr61 2 years, 1 month ago
The offshoots of Our notorious one came at a time of his incarceration. The Marijuana bandits spree that splintered were into local distribution as few had contacts way into Canada and USA East Coast, but it was all cash and carry. Local henchmen decided to simply control regions on Nassau through hard man tactics or gang enforcement. Murders murders murders for control of this little island with the thousands of hanger on males and females that fed, survived and protected it. Most people who tried to run their own operation were simply taken out. The criminalization of Marijuana spawned our local gang culture that has spinoff criminalizing resulting in a prison over population. Where there is money and power there are girls and babies being born. When I assisted the National Drug Council into late eighties the US Embassy kept us abreast of leading drug thrends the last one I recalled was the introduction of ICE. But nowadays Molly could be others ecstasy like compounds circulating among the young party scenes but the warnings and educations have stopped. High percentage potency synthetic THC used in vape pipes could cause schizophrenia issues where innocent young people just walk the streets talking to echos on their head.
carltonr61 2 years, 1 month ago
The USA Government trained a handful of Bahamians in Problem Gambling, however it is suspected that the FNM Government betrayed their good will. The US KNEW gambling would destroy family island commerce and create socio-economic issues in Nassau due to gambling poverty especially among women. By the time hurricane Dorian hit the Bahamian people had fallen out of spirit with the FNM which cemented gambling into the fabric of our moral,social and economic life. The moral majority of Bahamians expected more. Marijuana prohibition has failed around the world where incarceration and criminal records has infringed upon human rights, deflected Police away from serious crime and made gangs powerful and rich.
John 2 years, 1 month ago
Just this weekend over a dozen young people Spring Breaking in Florida had to be rushed to emergency room suffering from overdose from fentanyl laced cocaine. At least six of the victims were members of a college football and at least three who overdosed did not consume any of the cocaine, but became overdosed on fentanyl when they tried to revive their friends. That’s how powerful the drugs were. The person that sold the students the drugs was 21 years old. Now can face the possibility of murder. So yes drugs is a dangerous trade. Fortunately the cocaine problem is not as big here because it brings fentanyl with it. And fentanyl his the reputation of being a very deadly drug.
sheeprunner12 2 years, 1 month ago
More USA white ppl are on drugs than black ppl. More USA white ppl deal drugs than black ppl. Herein lies the problem ....... Where is the prejudice, John?????
carltonr61 2 years, 1 month ago
Bahamians don't ascribe to wt blk mentality. We all call each other the n word in casual conversation and to place emphises on a thing or person. We have our own dictionary. Niagara is ya bestiary buddy at the bestist time and comes with a loving hug. It is also an impressive boat plane shark or gun. That m-f-n is after you realize you got outsmarted.
John 2 years, 1 month ago
Actually you are trying to make this is to a black and white issue beginning with the disparaging remarks you made about Bahamians. The fact is more cocaine is flowing into the US per year now than whatever flowed through The Bahamad. And while authorities claim that most of the fentanyl on the streets of the US is said to be from China, most persons become addicted to opioids through prescription medicines. The question is why doesn’t the violence and mayhem follow the cocaine trade like it is allegedly plagued the marijuana market in the Bahamas? Simply it not drugs that creates the murder. It is gangs. Gangs of se drug trade to support their activities. Some states in the US claim that after the legalization of marijuana , gang activity ceased or decreased.
carltonr61 2 years, 1 month ago
Future Marijuana wars in the Bahamas may be between legal professional Canadian exporters of various grades specific to medical and recreational tourist market as our natural Bahama blends will need to catch up with integrity demanded for pibluc consumption.
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