Devoted dad Kimwandae Walker died trying to protect his children, his devastated family revealed yesterday.

He urged son Kwinjae Thompson, nine, and daughter Kimjaela Thompson, four, to run away when gunmen pounced at a Good Friday kite-flying event at Victor Scott School.

But the little boy ran in the same direction as his father and was next to him when he was shot multiple times. Kimjaela sheltered behind play equipment along with a number of other children attending the event at the school, where Kwinjae is a student.

The victim's great aunt, Lucille Hart, 82, said from what she'd heard of the incident: "I feel he tried to save the children. When someone alerted him there was guns, he was helping his son to get his kite together. As he looked up and saw the gun, he pushed his little one away and he ran away to take the gunmen away from shooting the rest of the children that was surrounding him. When he was running from the gunmen, they did what they wanted to do. The little girl was running and hiding under the slides and swings. It's awful to think of the babies and the children running for cover."

The victim's mother, Shelley Walker, 52, said: "He was my one and only child. He was a good man, a family man, who took care of his family and made sure that everybody was OK. I just want all this to stop. I don't want any parent to go through this. It hurts so bad."

According to eyewitnesses, Mr. Walker, from Pembroke, was targeted by two men who rode a bike onto the school field around 2.15 p.m. He fell to the ground after being shot, got up and ran behind a van, but was followed by the shooter and shot again multiple times.

He was due to visit his mother at her Hamilton Parish home on Good Friday afternoon. He rang a few hours before his death to say he was running late, but would be over shortly and liked her idea of a family trip to nearby Shelly Bay. However, he never showed up, and his family were soon notified of the terrible news.

His mother explained: "His auntie called to say what happened. We didn't know it was him at first, she wasn't sure who it was. Why would anyone do something like that in front of his children, in front of other children like that? They could have been killed. It's been so heartbreaking for me.

"My grandchildren have taken it very hard. The little girl is only four and she doesn't realise, but the little boy was with him when it happened. They were very close to him. He worshipped his children, they were his heart."

Ms Walker looked after the youngsters on Saturday, and did her best to comfort them. They spent yesterday with their mother Jodi Thompson, who was said to be too upset to speak about what happened.

Mr. Walker's own father, Perry Hayward, died when he was in his early teens. He was brought up by his mother and grandmother, Lorraine Randall-Walker. He attended Francis Patton Primary School and Sandys Secondary before doing a culinary course at Bermuda College and spending a short stint in the Regiment. He went on to run his own trucking business.

According to his mother, he was a generous man who took birdie kites down to the playing field on Good Friday for other children who didn't have any. She said he also used to buy presents for children who couldn't afford things of their own, and gave away turkeys at Christmas.

She cannot understand why he was targeted by the gunmen. Police said yesterday they believed the incident may be linked to gang rivalry or vengeance. However, Ms Walker said: "I know for a fact that my son was not in a gang. I think it was more jealousy of what he had. He would earn his stuff and he helped people."

Ms Hart added: "I don't know why. I'm his great aunt and he was respectful and it was never like arguments or disrespect. He was never fighting like some guys go around looking for a fight. We played football together and picnicked together and we would have parties and he would cook. I don't know why someone would have that animosity against him to want to hurt him."

Ms Walker and Ms Hart declined to discuss the ongoing Police investigation into the murder, which is the seventh gun killing in Bermuda in the past twelve months. No one has been charged in relation to any of them although two men were in custody yesterday over Mr. Walker's death.

Family friend and neighbour Gina Scott-Hughes said: "We need to have zero tolerance. The Police need to do their job and you can't tell me that people don't know who is doing this mess. Is it going to get worse? What are they waiting for? How many murders have we had, how many people have been arrested?"

No funeral plans have been made as the Police are still conducting forensic tests. Anyone with information should call Detective Arthur Glasford at the Serious Crime Unit on 299-8115 or the confidential and anonymous Crimestoppers hot line on 800-8477.