The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

A man on bail for murder was killed and a 30-year-old man is in hospital after a double shooting yesterday.

The incident happened shortly before 4am outside a business on 6th Terrace off Collins Avenue, police said.

The 34-year-old victim who was shot and killed was identified by a relative as Adrian Knowles. He was reportedly being electronically monitored and on bail for murder.

Preliminary reports from police indicate that the two men had just left a business on 6th Terrace and were in the area of East Avenue when the occupants of a grey vehicle, that was travelling east on 6th Terrace, opened fire on the men hitting them multiple times.

EMS personnel arrived at the scene and confirmed that Knowles had no vital signs of life.

The second victim, a 30-year-old Kemp Road man, was taken to hospital by EMS where he is detained in critical condition.

In November 2016, Knowles was accused of intentionally causing the death of Coleman Edgecombe. Edgecombe, 21, was shot in the head during an argument outside a nightclub on Arundel Street.

Recently, numerous alleged offenders who have been released on bail have been murdered, while some have been posted on wanted police posters for suspected murder or other serious crimes.

 Some have argued offenders are safer inside prison rather than being granted bail, due to the high frequency of people on bail being killed.

 Last week The Tribune spoke to Leon Bethell, former assistant commissioner of police and CEO of Metro Security Solutions, regarding issues with the ankle monitor system for people on bail.

 Mr Bethell defended the system, noting there is no fault in the devices offered.

 However, reports have circulated that those being monitored have not adhered to curfew conditions; it has been reported that the devices’ batteries have intentionally been allowed to die and there are cases where some have removed the devices from their bodies.

 This has resulted in some offenders breaching bail conditions or being killed.

 At one point more than 50 percent of persons out on bail for murder were themselves murder victims, according to National Security Minister Wayne Munroe.

 The increase of murders of people on bail has added to the country’s current crime statistics, with the opposition party earlier calling on the government to get a grip on the rising violence.

 Earlier this month, Free National Movement Deputy Leader Shanendon Cartwright argued that government has no comprehensive plan to combat crime.

 He said the opposition in March made 14 recommendations to the government “to assist in trying to combat this scourge of crime.”

 “At that time there (were) 22 murders in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. Since then, we are talking about 75 plus murders in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, but yet there is no comprehensive plan - not one piece of significant piece of policy or piece of legislation to help deal with this issue that continues to be a debilitating issue throughout our communities as bodies continue to drop,” Mr Cartwright said earlier this month.

 The murder count is over 108, according to this newspaper.

 Police are investigating and appealing to members of the public who may have information that can assist police in locating the suspects involved in this incident, to contact police at 911, 919, the Criminal Investigation Department at 502-9991/2 or Crime Stoppers at 328-TIPS-8477.