The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK
Tribune Freeport Reporter
dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

An American man with connections to Grand Bahama was killed in a drive-by shooting in broad daylight outside a Fort Lauderdale warehouse earlier this week.

Gregory Bradford, also known as “Lurch,” was gunned down around 11:20am on Thursday outside the 1600 Block of SW 3rd Avenue.

According to reports in the Miami Herald, a witness told police that Mr Bradford, a Bahamian who rented a bay at the warehouse facility, operated an import/export business there.

Video surveillance footage posted on social media shows Mr Bradford walking toward a white vehicle and speaking with its occupant shortly before a second vehicle arrived. Two suspects, armed with what appeared to be semi-automatic weapons, exited the second vehicle and fired multiple shots at him. Mr Bradford attempted to flee but collapsed in the street, succumbing to his injuries at the scene.

Mr Bradford, a father of one, is believed to have been in his 40s.

Casey Liening, a spokesman for the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, told the a  that investigations are ongoing. Preliminary reports indicate that a witness, who wished to remain anonymous, heard what sounded like fireworks before seeing an old, faded, maroon Hyundai sedan speeding away from the scene.

In Grand Bahama, news of Mr Bradford’s death shocked those who knew him.

A source revealed that Mr Bradford lived in Grand Bahama for many years before being deported to the United States in 2005 following a shooting incident at the Grand Bahama International Airport.

He was brought to Grand Bahama as a young boy by his mother and was raised by his grandmother, who is now deceased.

“I don’t know what to say because you’re still trying to wrap your mind around what happened,” said a friend who knew him well but did not want to be named.

“He was a really nice person; he looked out for everyone. He was very friendly and loved his friends and people. And he would give what he had and go out of his way to help someone—he did a lot for a lot of people.”

Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe said he was unaware of the shooting death of a Bahamian in Fort Lauderdale. However, he explained that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is generally notified of incidents involving Bahamians in the United States.

“I have not heard about that. That is something that would generally be notified to foreign affairs, and the police would have an interest in it.

“We have a liaison officer in Florida at the Consulate in Miami. We would have an interest in that if it is connected in any way with anything that happens here. For instance, if it is just random crime in the US, then it might not have any impact here. But if it is related to some gang thing, something that went wrong, or something that could happen back here, that’s when police would have an interest—when it can come back and touch anything that is happening in the Bahamas,” he said.