Two men have been arrested in connection to the non-fatal shooting of a 28-year-old St David’s man earlier today.

Police said the victim had been involved in “a verbal and physical altercation” with his alleged attackers before the shooting incident.

Information about the early morning incident is still being sought by police, specifically about a dark coloured sedan without license plates, which is believed to have been in the area.

Acting Chief Inspector Dave Greenidge said police responded to a report of a shooting at around 2:45am in the area of Cove Valley in St David’s.

“Officers were directed to a 28-year-old male, who was suffering from suspected gunshot injuries to his lower extremities. First aid was administered, and the male was later transported to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital where he is receiving treatment.”

A hospital spokeswoman last night described the victim, who has not been named by police, as “stable.”

Mr Howard said that two people have been arrested and questioned in connection to the shooting, and will be questioned further in the days to come.

Speaking to The Royal Gazette, one area resident said she was awoken by the sound of gunfire sometime after 2am.

“I remember hearing loud popping noises and sitting up in bed,” the resident said. “It was just pop, pop. I couldn’t tell where they came from or what they were. I only really realised after I heard the police coming down the road.

“It’s troubling. I really hoped that we were getting past this, but that boy up Southampton got killed and now this. It’s really, really troubling.”

Acting Assistant Commissioner James Howard said detectives are keeping an open mind about the shooting, but said the incident is not believed to be linked with last week’s fatal shooting of Erin Lee Richardson, or that the shooting was a result of “one gang targeting another”.

And he said that there was no information to suggest there would be any retaliatory incidents in connection to the shooting.

“The Bermuda Police Service is keenly aware that the community has enjoyed almost seven months with no shooting deaths or injuries until recently,” Mr Howard said. “One week ago, Erin Richardson was shot and killed near his home in Southampton, and then early this morning a man was shot and injured in St David’s.

“It is therefore understandable that the community will be worried. I can only reiterate that the information they provide is essential to our investigation and the advice, ‘if you know something, say something,’ can only help to make Bermuda safer.”

He said he and the community are tired of the firearms incidents which have plagued the Island in recent years, and as a result the community has provided officers with a great deal of information about a variety of offences including, but not limited to, shootings.

“I would encourage the community to just keep providing the information for anything that’s suspicious, whether it’s in relation to guns, whether it’s in relation to bullets, whether it’s in relation to burglaries. Just keep providing it.”

He said there will be an influx of officers in St David’s in the next few days as police carry out door-to-door inquiries into the incident and keep the public informed.

Anyone who may have seen any suspicious activity in the Cove Valley Road/St Luke’s Lane area between 2:30am and 4am is asked to contact police. They are also looking for anyone who may have seen any suspicious vehicles, specifically a dark coloured four-door sedan without license plates, which was believed to be in the area at the time of the incident.

Anyone with information should call the Serious Crime Unit at 247-1739/247-1340 or the anonymous CrimeStoppers hotline at 800-8477.