Two Bermudian men have been arrested in connection with the weekend shooting of 27-year-old Jakai Harford.
The pair — aged 18 and 23 — were taken into custody after detectives attended their separate Pembroke homes on Saturday evening and Sunday morning, respectively.
Police revealed yesterday that Mr. Harford was in a cab when he was shot multiple times in the early hours of Saturday morning on Mission Lane, Pembroke, and that the attack was believed to be gang-related.
Superintendent Antoine Daniels, head of Bermuda Police Service's Serious Crime Unit, told a press conference: "As he was still in the taxi outside, we believe someone came and fired some shots into the taxi, multiple shots.
"He got out of the taxi, took refuge and was taken to the hospital from there. We have spoken to the taxi driver. He is assisting Police." He said detectives were trying to track down those who shared the cab home with Mr. Harford from a nightclub in St. George's, adding that it wasn't yet certain if they were still in the vehicle during the 4 a.m. gun attack. "We know that there were some other males in the taxi; we are just trying to confirm who they were," he said. He added that Mr. Harford's assailant was believed to be on foot and that the weapon involved had not been recovered by Police.
Mr. Harford was shot in the upper body and suffered serious injuries, which are not thought to be life-threatening. He had surgery on Saturday in the intensive care unit at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital and remained there in a stable condition last night. Supt. Daniels said detectives were planning to speak to him yesterday.
The attack on Mr. Harford was the 40th confirmed shooting of the year and the sixth since March 17. It follows the murder of James (Junior) Lawes, a 26-year-old Jamaican, during a triple shooting on March 19 outside Place's Place bar on Dundonald Street.
A 30-year-old Smith's man was arrested in connection with that incident and has since been released on bail.
Supt. Daniels said no direct connection had been made between this weekend's gun attack and the triple shooting but added: "We are looking into the shootings as being related and we haven't ruled that out." He wouldn't give details about which gangs are believed to be behind the violence. But he said the number of arrests of prolific offenders suspected of gang activity had "really gone through the roof" recently. "We are really being pretty robust. We are not standing still. We are trying to be proactive as opposed to reactive." He urged anyone with information about any of the recent shootings to contact Police on 299-8121 or call the confidential Crime Stoppers Bermuda hot line on 1-800-8477.
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