‘I heard bang, bang, bang. I heard a person crying out’
A resident of a neighbourhood blighted by two recent shootings heard shots ring out and a man scream in agony during the latest incident early on Saturday.A 24-year-old suffered serious injuries to his back, shoulder and arms in the attack outside Gravity nightclub, on North Shore Road, Devonshire.The resident, who lives less than 100 yards away, told The Royal Gazette: “At 3.15am I heard ‘bang, bang bang’ sounds echoing all around the neighbourhood. After that I heard a person crying out in pain. They had obviously been shot. Then I heard no more noise until an ambulance and the police came quietly. After attending to the guy the ambulance left in a hurry with the sirens on.”The man, aged in his 50s, did not wish to be named.The Royal Gazette understands there were around 20 to 30 people in the club when it closed for the night at 3am. People were still standing around outside talking when the shooting occurred in the parking lot, which is between the club and the derelict Clayhouse Inn. Police were called to the scene and found the injured man.Forensics officers combed the area, and it remained cordoned off for several hours. North Shore Road was closed to traffic between Store Hill and Foothills Road. The club remained closed on Saturday evening, according to the local resident.Police have not named the victim, who is from Pembroke, and declined to provide any information about his condition yesterday.A 25-year-old Devonshire man, Rodney Grimes, was shot and injured in the same spot around 3.20am on Saturday, October 8. Two men in their 20s have been charged with conspiring to kill Mr Grimes. Meanwhile, two teenagers were arrested in the early hours of Saturday, November 5, after police found a loaded gun in the Clayhouse Inn area.No arrests have been reported in respect of the latest incident.A spokesman said yesterday: “The shooting occurred sometime between 3.15am and 3.20am Saturday, December 17. Investigators have examined the identified crime scene for evidence, and are speaking with area residents and other witnesses.“We are particularly interested in speaking to anyone that may have been at Gravity nightclub Friday night, and anyone travelling on this stretch of North Shore Road around the time of the shooting.”He added: “Recent cases before the courts have demonstrated the benefit of people coming forward and assisting the police to bring dangerous offenders to justice. In this matter, we are urging anyone that has information or evidence that can bring these criminals to justice, to make Bermuda safer, to contact the Serious Crime Unit, or the Crime Stoppers hotline.”The unit can be reached on 247-1079 and Crime Stoppers on 800-8477. The spokesman pledged that information “will be dealt with in absolute confidence.”
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here have been at least ten gun incidents in Bermuda in eleven weeks. Here is a roundup of those reported by the police:Sunday October 2, 12.45pm: A group of four men escaped injury when two suspects riding a motorcycle shot at them four times near the junction of St Monica’s Road and the Glebe Road, Pembroke.Wednesday October 5, 2.20pm: Three bullets were fired at a Department of Parks worker as he tended flower beds in the middle of Trimingham Hill Roundabout in Paget. The victim ran from the two gunmen, who were on a bike, and escaped injury.Friday October 7, 9.10pm: A Pembroke man in his 30s suffered a hand wound when he was shot while riding a motorcycle along North Shore Road, Hamilton Parish.Saturday October 8, 3.20am: Rodney Grimes, a 25-year-old Devonshire resident, was shot in the car park adjacent to Gravity nightclub and the former Clayhouse Inn on North Shore Road, Devonshire. He suffered minor injuries. Two men have been charged.Monday, October 24, 8.20pm: A 21-year-old man was hit twice in the abdomen and once in the leg in what police classified as a gang-related attempted murder. He was on a motorcycle heading west along Middle Road, Warwick when two attackers pulled alongside on their own motorbike and opened fire.Saturday, November 5, 2.30am: Police arrested two men after recovering a loaded gun in the area of the former Clayhouse Inn, North Shore Road, Devonshire.Saturday, November 26, 11pm: Police were called to the scene of gunshots on the Railway Trail, Southampton. No one was reported injured.Thursday, December 8, 8.45pm: Police were called to the scene of gunshots near the Western Stars Sports Club on St John’s Road, Pembroke. No injuries were reported.Saturday, December 10, 11pm: A pillion passenger fired from a motorcycle at a group of men outside the Long Hours Variety Store, Somerset Road, Sandys. No one was reported injured.Sunday December 11, 12.30am: Police were called to the scene of gunshots on Border Lane East, Devonshire. No injuries were reported.