The victim of last week’s fatal shooting had worked with troubled youths to help them to steer away from a life of crime, it has been revealed.

Steve Parkes, who would have celebrated his 54th birthday on Christmas Day, was gunned down outside his home on Mary Victoria Road in Devonshire last Monday.

The father of six was a skilled and respected carpenter who hoped to pass on knowledge of his craft to disaffected young men looking for training and guidance — and a way out of the gang lifestyle.

His life was cut short in what detectives describe as a case of mistaken identity where Mr Parkes was “in the wrong place at the wrong time”.

Mr Parkes was recruited by the former One Bermuda Alliance government to be part of a team of craftsmen behind a project to provide employment opportunities to those most at risk of running foul of the law.

On Friday, Craig Cannonier, the OBA MP who spearheaded that anti-crime campaign when serving as a government minister, paid tribute to “a good man”.

Speaking in the House of Assembly, Mr Cannonier said: “We spent an extensive amount of time together on trying to address the many challenges we have with our youth, and Steve was actually part of the solution.

“It’s so sad to see that he has suffered in the midst of trying to bring about a solution to issues with our youth. We had set aside buildings that we were looking to renovate and we were going to use those buildings as a training ground for many of these youths.”

Mr Cannonier said that his team had worked with community activists to set up a training centre, and had earmarked an abandoned government-owned building near the National Sports Centre as a potential location.

The scheme never got off the ground. The OBA was defeated in the July 2017 General Election before a contract with anti-gang agencies could be signed.

According to Mr Cannonier, the project was ditched by the incoming Progressive Labour Party government, which went on to demolish the building.

Mr Cannonier said: “We had been trying to put together programmes for many years now and we did spend quite a bit of time with Steve, being a part of the solution, so it’s really sad to see that he has suffered and passed away here under what I would say are horrific circumstances.

“We need to send condolences to the family for the loss of someone who was trying to be part of the solution — a good man.

Mr Cannonier’s remarks were backed up by Michael Weeks, the Minister of National Security.

Noting that the killing marked the fourth murder on the island this year, Mr Weeks said: “I didn’t know Mr Parkes personally but I knew his wife and his sons.

“My heart goes out to the Parkes family. Like Mr Cannonier has said, Mr Parkes was one of those gentlemen who was trying to be a part of the solution in addressing the current behaviour that we are facing as a country.”

Diallo Rabain, the MP for the constituency, arrived at the scene of the murder shortly after the alarm was raised.

On Friday, he spoke of his sadness at Mr Parkes’ death.

He said: “There’s a family in my constituency that will not necessarily have a great Christmas, as the shooting that happened on Monday was a family that lived in my constituency.

“When we talk to the people and they’re trying to figure out what is the point of this violence and you just have no answers — you really have no answers for them.

“I just want us as Bermudians to really get past what is really becoming numbing to some of this violence that we are seeing in our island and understand that it’s going to take all of us to reach out to these young men and women who are committing these awful acts of violence.

“There are alternative ways of resolving conflict where we do not have to resort to violence to get your point across.”

David Burt, the Premier, also paid tribute to Mr Parkes and warned against retaliatory attacks.

The Premier said: “It’s tragic to see persons’ lives taken by guns and we recognise and we understand that the particular circumstances of this have heightened tensions and we know that the emergency services, the police service, the Ministry of National Security, the intervention teams are doing what they can to best as possible limit what they can any further action.

“But what I would say is that as this is the time traditionally that we thank all those who serve. I want to thank the uniformed services and the emergency services but also the helping agencies — the ones that may not be on the front line, but the ones who are helping when it comes to counselling and trauma and after impact.”

The Bermuda Police Service are appealing for witnesses who may have information concerning Mr Parkes’s death to come forward.

A reward of $5,000 is offered from the independent and confidential Crimestoppers hotline for information leading to an arrest and conviction in his murder. The hotline can be reached on 800-8477.

The public can also contact Detective Sergeant Anneka Donawa, of the serious crime unit, on 717-2250, or the main police number, 295-0011.

Alternatively, members of the public can share information with a police officer.

• On occasion The Royal Gazette may decide to not allow comments on a story that we deem may inflame sensitivities. As we are legally liable for any libellous or defamatory comments made on our website, this move is for our protection as well as that of our readers