A 22-year-old man was shot dead and another man shot and injured this morning.

Yesterday at 10.30 p.m. Police received a report about a man being shot and injured outside a private home in Sandys.

A Police spokesman said: “Officers responded along with an ambulance and EMTs. The victim, a 22-year-old Pembroke man, was conveyed to hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

“The Bermuda Police Service is withholding the identity of the victim until his next of kin have been informed. A Police investigation commenced immediately after the incident and is being led by Acting Detective Chief Inspector Calvin Smith of the Serious Crime Unit. An autopsy will be performed in due course.”

In the second incident at 1.35 a.m. today Police received a report of a man being shot and injured near Warwick Lanes Bowling Alley.

The spokesman said: “Officers responded along with an ambulance and EMTs. The victim, a 25-year-old Southampton man, was conveyed to hospital for treatment of his injuries which do not appear to be life threatening at this time. An investigation into this matter is also underway.”

There have now been 16 shootings since May when people have been killed or injured.

This morning Lou Matthews, of We Will Rise Above Bermuda, which has been trying to take community action to stop the shootings, said: “We woke up again this morning to news that the ‘night” had taken yet another young man and injured another.

“We knew it wouldn’t be easy, but if I can be honest, my heart sank for a moment in discouragement. If yours did, you would only be human. But I want you to know that we will not allow the fear of these present times to deter us from our actions — all 30+ of them.

“We committed to rising above this violence and hatred and to calling on something deep within ourselves — a spirit of hope, rooted in our spiritual backgrounds, and our belief that if we would come together and act for the good of this country, things would change.

“What has changed? Already, teams have addressed over 1,000 students and teachers from two schools. Today, a team will be headed into another one of our middle schools to host a rap session with students who volunteered concerning the violence.

“Even as we speak, members of the faith community are praying and preparing for a major action of Friday. Others are already preparing new mentors for impact. So even as those who continue to act, in violence, grip the nation in fear, let it be known that we will also continue to act, in love, to save not only our children, but also them and their children. We will rise above, Bermuda.”

* See this website for further updates and the full story in tomorrow’s Royal Gazette.