Panicked partygoers were forced to flee into the bathroom of a studio apartment after a gunmen burst into the dwelling firing shots into the crowd.

Father-of-one Stefan Burgess, 24, was killed in the melee, while a second guest, Davano Bremer, was shot in the groin. The black-clad gunmen ran from the scene and escaped on a motorbike.

Julian Washington, 24, from Grace Lane, Pembroke, has been charged with the murder of Mr Burgess and the attempted murder of Mr Bremer, as well as a number of firearms offences.

On the third day of Mr Washington’s trial yesterday, party host Maxwell Hayward explained how he and his friends had spent January 8, 2012, celebrating his 21st birthday.

After brunch at the Elbow Beach Hotel, the group spent the afternoon at a number of sports clubs before half-a-dozen friends returned to Mr Hayward’s house on The Glebe Road in Pembroke, where they played video games.

Mr Burgess got up to leave the apartment just before 9pm — but was shot twice in the upper body by the gunman who was waiting outside the front door.

“I remember Stefan opening the door and then heard a couple of bangs,” Mr Hayward told the jury.

“I heard two bangs followed by three or four more. Everyone was running around. I was shocked, trying to find out what was going on. Then I saw Stefan lying on the ground. After I went into the bathroom I heard Bremer saying he was hit.”

Another guest, Andre Blackstone, said he had been sitting on a couch when Mr Burgess got up to leave.

“Once he opened the door there was a brief scuffle and then shots,” Mr Blackstone said.

“I heard two pops and then saw a white mist. Stefan fell to the ground.”

Asked if he saw the gunman, Mr Blackstone said: “All I saw was his hand at first. It looked like a gun in the guy’s hand, pointing towards the door. I heard another pop and then the person came in and then ran.”

Mr Blackstone said the armed assailant was dressed completely in black and was also wearing gloves and a helmet with a black visor.

Mr Blackstone said he heard “five or six popping noises” as he ran into the bathroom. He and his friends remained there for “less than a few minutes” before daring to return to the main room.

Mr Hayward’s father and sister, who live in a house above the studio apartment rushed to the scene after hearing the gunshots. They drove Mr Burgess and Mr Bremer to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital where Mr Burgess was pronounced dead. Mr Bremer eventually recovered from his injuries.

Earlier during yesterday’s proceedings, witness Anthony Smith — a friend of Mr Washington’s — recounted how he was assaulted by Mr Burgess just days before the fatal shooting.

Mr Smith said that he had spent the morning of Thursday, January 5, socialising with a group of friends at the Pembroke yard of Jerome Dublin. While at the yard, he received a message that Mr Hayward wanted to speak to him at his Glebe Road apartment concerning some insulting remarks that Mr Smith was alleged to have made.

Mr Smith said he rode the short distance to the property where he saw Mr Hayward, Mr Burgess and a third, unidentified man, waiting outside.

“I rode up to them to see what he [Mr Hayward] had to say,” Mr Smith explained.

“I had a feeling it was about the remarks that had gotten back to him.”

Mr Smith said he exchanged words with Mr Hayward, who became increasingly hostile, although Mr Burgess stayed out of the argument.

“The argument got heated, Max wasn’t listening to what I had to say and I believe that is when I was struck and punched in the face,” he said.

Mr Smith said that Mr Burgess punched him “on numerous occasions” in the face, shoulder and neck, and knocked out one of his teeth during the attack, which only ended after two plain clothes police officers arrived on the scene.

Mr Smith said he eventually rode back to Mr Dublin’s yard and briefly explained what had happened. He then travelled back to Mr Hayward’s house to look for his missing tooth. Mr Burgess was still outside the property, and became concerned that Mr Smith was carrying a gun.

“I was riding with my left arm in my jacket pocket,” the witness said.

“Burgess asked me if I had a gun and also asked if I could take my hand out of my pocket. I told him I didn’t have a gun and why I had gone back down there.”

The two men then chatted for several minutes while looking for Mr Smith’s tooth, which was eventually found.

Mr Smith then returned to Mr Dublin’s yard where, later in the day, he discussed the incident “vaguely” with friends, including Mr Washington, who was a regular visitor to the Dublin property.

“They knew I was angry and pretty much embarrassed so they didn’t bring it up around me because all that would do is add fuel to the fire,” he said.

The trial, before Puisne Judge Carlisle Greaves, resumes today. Mr Washington is represented by lawyer Larry Mussenden while Garrett Byrne is prosecuting the case.