Police officers who were shot at in an incident in Warwick in the early hours of Saturday fired back at the suspects as they fled the scene.

According to Darrin Simons, the Commissioner of Police, the incident was the first time that officers had discharged their weapons at others in the line of duty.

The exchange of gunfire happened just after midnight when officers were called to an incident near Khyber Pass.

At a press conference yesterday, Mr Simons provided more details on the attack. He also confirmed that an internal inquiry into the incident had been launched.

He said: “As they [patrol officers] approached the junction with Quarry Lane, they observed two males riding a motorcycle heading south along Khyber Pass. The passenger discharged a firearm at our officers.

“In response, the officers pursued the suspects in attempt to stop them. The rider lost control of their motorcycle and in the course of this encounter our officers discharged their weapons. The suspects managed to escape on foot.

“This is not the first time that officers have been shot at. But this is the first time that, in performance of their duty, BPS officers have discharged lethal weapons at another person.

“I want to stress that, thankfully, there are no reports of injury resulting from this incident. I met with the officers involved on the evening in question, and I'm grateful to say they are doing well, considering the circumstances.”

Mr Simons was unable to say if the firearms suspects were involved in the initial incident that brought police to the scene.

He said: “It’s way too early to establish that but, without a doubt, that’s a line of inquiry we’re examining.”

He also emphasised that it was not uncommon for armed officers to be out on patrol.

He said: “There are a group of officers that 24 hours a day are armed, so we have an armed response capability and they’re out on patrol.

“So there is a likelihood that people up to bad things are going to encounter a firearms officer.

“The Bermuda Police Service are equipped and trained to effectively respond to these threatening situations. For over 25 years, we have been professionalising our firearms training and capability.

“I am committed to maintaining our ability to respond to emergencies and have ensured that the number of firearms officers on patrol remains consistent, even as resources have declined.”

He added: “It is absolutely reckless to shoot at the police. The offender puts his life at the ultimate risk.

“Such actions not only place the officers in extreme danger but also endanger bystanders and the community at large.”

Referring to the internal inquiry process into whether the officers followed firearms protocols, Mr Simons said: “We have initiated our post-incident procedures, which is standard protocol whenever firearms are discharged, excluding training scenarios.

“This process is designed to thoroughly examine our police response and use of firearms. We have also notified the Police Complaints Authority, which provides independent oversight of our actions.”

The commissioner added that he was confident that the suspects had fired first, before officers returned fire.

“There were a number of shots that were fired on both sides of the equation,” he said.

Detective Chief Inspector Derricka Burns said the shooting stood as “a stark reminder of the dangers our officers face every day”.

She said: “As we actively continue the investigation, I want to remind everyone that the individuals who fired at police are currently at large.

“This was a dangerous and reckless act that placed the lives of our officers and nearby residents at significant risk.”

Ms Burns said that the motorcycle ridden by the suspects had been recovered, along with other items at the crime scene that would be forensically examined.

She added: “We have recovered multiple shell casings from the scene that confirm different weapons were fired.

“Investigators have spent the weekend making inquiries in the area, talking to area residents and searching for any CCTV that may have captured the incident.”

Anyone with any information concerning the shooting was asked to contact Superintendent Sherwin Joseph at jsherwin@bps.bm or on 717-2158.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Antoine Daniels said that the island continued “to navigate through a difficult period of firearms use and senseless violence”.

He pointed out that there had been seven murders in the past three months, three of which involved guns.

He added that the shots fired on Saturday marked the fourteenth firearms incident this year, compared with only eight in 2023.

He said: “Tackling criminal gangs is the No 1 priority for the Bermuda Police Service.

“We continue to evolve our operational response plans with two key themes, of targeting those persons most likely to cause and commit violent acts, as well as providing community assurance.

“There continue to be teams dedicated to targeting those suspected of committing violence.

“These teams have been in place for the majority of the summer with great success.”