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‘Bermuda is really in trouble’

Friends and family light candles during a vigil to mark the one year anniversary of Kimandae Walker’s murder at Victor Scott School. The vigil was part of a series to honour all murder victims organised by the group Colford’s Family Against Violence.

When Keona Smith’s cousin Colford Ferguson was murdered by gunfire in February it inspired her to try to unite all of Bermuda in a stand against violence.But on Thursday she was heartbroken again by the murder of Randy Robinson, a childhood friend.“My cousin Colford was killed two months ago, and now it’s Randy,” she said.“My cousin was a heart breaker. Enough is enough.”In February, Ms Smith founded Colford’s Family Against Violence following the daylight murder of Mr Ferguson, 29, who was working near Mangrove Bay when he was fatally shot.Since then, she has organised multiple candlelight vigils to remember those who have been killed in gunfire on the Island, and unite the public in a stand against the violence.Last night, she said she was stunned when she learned that a second person close to her had become the victim of gunfire.Mr Robinson, a 22-year-old father and footballer, died on Thursday after suffering multiple gunshots.“I got a phone call no more than ten minutes after it happened and I was told Randy was killed. My heart just broke. It goes out to his parents and his family. I haven’t seen them yet. I know I will just break down.”In the wake of the shooting, she said more work needs to be done to not only end the violence, and get the guns off Bermuda’s streets.“It’s about getting the bullets. It’s not so much about getting the people right now, it’s about getting the guns off the streets. Someone is bringing them in.“I feel we have a lost generation. The mixing of the schools, taking the Lord’s Prayer out of the schools. I think there are a lot of factors that led to this genocide. That’s what it’s like. A genocide.“Bermuda is really in trouble and we need to get a hold of it now, or it’s going to get a lot worse.”She again called for Bermudians to come together and speak out again the violence.“I don’t have an answer, but I think we all need to stand up and end the silence.“I would like to see MPs here, I would like to see pastors here, I would like to see everyone come here, come out, and make a stand.”

Organisers Preacher Scott Smith and Kiona Smith pose for a picture before the start of Kimwandae Walker’s candlelit vigil to mark the one year anniversary of Walkers murder at Victor Scott School Saturday.