Police at the scene of the murder off Soldier Road on Sunday morning.
By SANCHESKA DORSETT
Tribune Staff Reporter
sdorsett@tribunemedia.net
NEW Providence’s killing spree continued over the weekend when two men were murdered in two separate shooting incidents less than 24 hours apart.
The deaths took the country’s murder count to 32 for the year and marked the 18th homicide in February, according to The Tribune’s records.
This also means that 601 people have been killed since the Progressive Liberal Party took office in May 2012, according to The Tribune’s records.
Ahead of the 2012 general election, the PLP posted billboards throughout New Providence - in areas heavily trafficked by tourists and locals - which said there had been more than 490 killings under the five-year Ingraham administration.
The PLP, then in opposition, campaigned that it had the answer to violent crime while the Ingraham administration did not. It promised that if elected it would get crime under control.
The latest homicide took place shortly after 3am on Sunday off Soldier Road.
Officer-in-charge of the Central Detective Unit, Chief Superintendent Clayton Fernander said the victim was at home with his girlfriend and their baby, when an armed man broke in demanding cash.
“Shortly after 3am, the victim who appeared to be in this 20s was at his residence with his girlfriend when a man armed with a handgun entered his home,” Chief Supt Fernander said.
“The suspect held the victim at bay and demanded cash. There was struggle and as a result the victim was shot in the chest. He died on the scene.”
The girlfriend and the baby were unharmed during the incident, police said.
Chief Supt Fernander said police have no motive at this time but they are not ruling out armed robbery.
Police have not identified the victim, but The Tribune understands he is J’Nario Feaster. Feaster celebrated his 21st birthday last week.
The first murder of the weekend took place shortly after 8am on Saturday off Carmichael Road.
According to reports, the victim was sitting on a large rock at Ferguson’s Subdivision when a man pulled up in a silver coloured Nissan Primera and shot him four times before speeding off. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Police have not identified the victim, but The Tribune understands he is 21-year-old Lesley Rolle.
Rolle was out on bail for armed robbery at the time of his death.
Saturday’s homicide came two days after police arrested three men in connection with the shooting death of a 32-year-old man off Scott Street. A one-year-old girl and two other men were also shoot during that incident, which occurred last Thursday. They are listed in stable condition in hospital.
With two days left in February, the number of killings so far this year has dwarfed the number of murders police recorded in the first two months of 2016. According to police statistics, there were 18 killings in the first two months of last year - eight in January and 10 in February.
The increase in murders this year prompted Minister of National Security Dr Bernard Nottage to unveil additional crime fighting methods two weeks ago.
Speaking in the House of Assembly, Dr Nottage said with immediate effect “lockdowns” in certain areas, mobile police vans and an armed forces partnership among other things would be implemented.
He further admitted that people connected to “gangs, drugs and guns” are linked to the frequent killings.
Dr Nottage also said intelligence has suggested that there are connections between many violent incidents on the streets of New Providence and inmates at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services and recently released prisoners.
Anyone with information on any of these incidents is asked to contact police at 911 or 919, the Central Detective Unit at 502-9991 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 328-TIPS.
Investigations continue.
Comments
Honestman 7 years, 1 month ago
But now we are told by the PLP that we shouldn't politicise crime - bunch of hypocrites!
birdiestrachan 7 years, 1 month ago
They are now counting murders under the PLP. God forbid should the FNM win, they will be counting murders under the FNM or the DNA or whatever other party wins. Is this the solution to crime.? The race is on, and there are no answers. never mind what supporters of any party has to say.
B_I_D___ 7 years, 1 month ago
Birdie...you don't like it when the shoe is on the other foot eh? How quick you forget the PLP billboards from 2012...490 murders under the FNM plastered up in high traffic tourist areas...simple fools like you are why we are in this hellish situation.
sheeprunner12 7 years, 1 month ago
600 ............ and another 100 undocumented or unclassified deaths as well
Reminds us of the thousands of Bahamians who went "missing" during the Pindling Drug Era
TalRussell 7 years, 1 month ago
Comrade Sheeprunner12, please note that Pindling is not proper vehicle for your murderous thunder - considering that the last full year Pindling was in power was 1991 - murders were at an all time low of 28. I won't even bother with a rebuttal over the outrageous claim of the thousands who went missing under Pindling.
Alex_Charles 7 years, 1 month ago
500 murders, 500 power outages, 6 economic downgrades, 5 years of deficits, sky high taxation and the people of Centerville will still vote for Christie. Our people are so backwards that it's a politicians dream lol. nOw is a beautiful time to be a PLP candidate. No proper opposition in the house, two egotistical jackasses in charge of the two major opposition parties , a growing underclass of underemployed, under educated people and you have a recipe for victory. I honestly can't see this election going any other way. The Bahamas is fucked.
John 7 years, 1 month ago
ELEVEN HUNDRED MURDERS in ten years and you still continue to hear that 'it's just a mall group of prolific offenders. And now they are saying that some of the murders are being authorised by inmates in prison. So what steps are being taken to prevent hits from being sent out from prison? Are suspects being isolated from the general population? Are their communications with the outside world being severely restricted? Restricted to being next to none? What is apparent is that persons committing murders not only have no value for life, but they do not fear the consequences for killing someone. Even it it means losing their own lives eventually. Very little can be be done with a person who doesn't fear death and also feels he has little or nothing to live for. Basically he is saying, "You will be doing me a favour by killing me," So then the focus has to be on preventing him from the opportunity to kill. Of course jail will only come after a first offence is committed. So there has to be a focus on changing the mindset of these criminals. Born to kill you might say. And capital punishment in the interim should not be ruled out. The killings are getting more bold and the shootings more multiple. Those in charge should note that the longer it takes to bring these killings to a halt, the more difficult it will be to stop them. Ten years of killing at an increasing rate is already too long.
TigerB 7 years, 1 month ago
1997 1998 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 46 56 74 45 52 50 44 52 60 79
1987 1988 1989 1990 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 31 36 46 36 49 45 33 34 41
1970 1975 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 16 22 41 25 19 30 23 19 30 28
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