An expert on gang activity said that two victims in a pub shooting were at the centre of a split between two gangs.

Khalid Pitcher, a sergeant with the police’s Gang Targeting Unit, described Troy Eve Burgess and Ayinde Eve yesterday as “high-ranking members” of the Parkside Crew gang.

He told the Supreme Court that the pair had been trying to distance themselves from the Friswells Hill gang subgroup, which led to an “internal rift”.

Mr Pitcher added that Syhon Akinstall, the defendant in this trial, was affiliated with both gangs.

Mr Akinstall, 22, has denied the murders of Mr Eve and Micah Davis, as well as the attempted murders of Mr Burgess and Derrick Golding, a police sergeant.

He has also denied four counts of the use of a firearm for an indictable offence, namely murder and attempted murder.

The incident was said to have happened on October 26, 2021, at the Robin Hood Pub and Restaurant in Pembroke.

Mr Pitcher, who took the stand yesterday, said that he had been studying gang culture for about half of his 14-year career with the Bermuda Police Service.

He explained that members and associates — those who were affiliated with gangs without being full-blown members — often used symbols and acronyms to show their ties.

Mr Pitcher said that a common display was to “throw up” a “P” hand symbol to show links to the Parkside Crew, or an “F” hand symbol to show ties with the Friswells Hill gang.

He said that police kept up with gang networks by analysing phone data and social-media accounts, as well as by keeping track of arrests, alleged offences and those involved in criminal investigations.

Mr Pitcher added that potential members “have to put in work” if they want to get accepted into a gang, which would involve selling drugs and participating in robberies, assaults or even murders.

The prosecution showed Mr Pitcher photographs of Mr Burgess and Mr Eve.

Mr Burgess was seen making a “P” hand symbol, while Mr Eve had a “PSC” tattoo on his right shoulder.

Mr Pitcher confirmed that both men had ties to the Parkside Crew, adding that the “P” symbol and “PSC” tattoo, which he said stood for “Parkside Crew”, were both evidence of gang ties.

The Crown also showed Mr Pitcher another photograph, this time of several men on a boat.

Mr Pitcher was able to identify all of the men and confirmed that many of them were making Parkside Crew and Friswells Hill hand gestures.

When asked, Mr Pitcher confirmed that one of the men was Mr Akinstall, but he added that he could not see Mr Akinstall’s hands in the photograph.

He also said that, while he did not know the defendant personally, he would have determined from this photograph that he was associated with these gangs.

During cross-examination under Marc Daniels, for the defence, Mr Pitcher confirmed that he had never seen Mr Akinstall during his patrols throughout Parkside or Friswells Hill gang territory.

He added that he was unaware of any criminal record tied to Mr Akinstall and that, before the investigation into the Robin Hood shooting, he had never seen a mugshot of him.

Mr Pitcher, when further questioned, said that he was not aware of any other personal connections between Mr Akinstall and other gang members or affiliates.

Mr Daniels asked Mr Pitcher if lower-level gang members were more likely to carry out orders from gang leaders instead of associates. He agreed.

Mr Daniels also asked if lower-ranking gang members were more willing and able to carry out the killing of “high-ranking” gang members.

Mr Pitcher agreed again, but reminded Mr Daniels that associates may want to carry out similar crimes to join the gang or may be used to commit crimes because of their lack of a criminal record.

The trial continues.

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UPDATE: this article has been updated to correct that the police sergeant should be identified as Khalid Pitcher. We apologise for any inconvenience caused