As Bermuda faces escalating turf warfare between gangs — with six people being shot in just five weeks — many have expressed concern that the Island's social fabric has come undone.

On Saturday Kumi Harford was gunned down, leaving behind a 21-month old son and dying just six days before his 31st birthday.

Mr. Harford was killed in the very community he lived, on St. Monica's Road in Pembroke.

Readers of the The Royal Gazette took to Facebook yesterday to urge their countrymen to get involved in helping to stich the community back together. While a memorial page was set up by friends and family of Mr. Harford.

Readers' comments echoed those made by politicians who called on people to get to know their neighbours again and help Police tackle the growing gun violence.

Carla Saunders Zuill, who lives near the scene of the crime and was woken up by the gunshots early Saturday morning, asked: "Do people really care or will this death be viewed as 'just one less to worry about?' This Island is but so small and yet no one can figure out who is doing this and worst still no one will come forth and speak on what is going on. Yes, there is pressure to be considered a "prick" but don't people realise that we have now surpassed the prick-stage and coming forth with information is now a matter of life and death?

"The more we as a community turn a blind eye to the craziness that is going on, the more we are empowering whomever is committing these heinous acts. I am so sorry that yet another family has to suffer so senselessly. But again I ask, do the powers that be truly care?"

Melissa Donae wrote: "Plainly... the problem with Bermuda is that they rely on Government and its officials to fix an issue that to the core is a community issue! Stop waiting for legislation or these somewhat useless political parties of the moment to save our people! It takes a village to raise a child!

She added: "What's funny — sorry but it is — Bermudians, particularly church going Bermudians keep commenting on how Bermuda has strayed from God, yet [they] seem to be very silent on the issue. [But if] you let a gay cruise try to roll this way, or slot machines and they are front page. Priorities Bermuda!"

Makai Jevon Dickerson added: "The island really needs to come together as a whole to address this. Tougher penalties is a must but that is only a solution after the fact. We need to get to the bottom of the issue before these things happen and put an end to the retaliation effect. We have to get away from the mind set of 'this is Bermuda stop being wannabe gangsters' and find out why it's going on and come up with ways of ending the will to kill."

Andrew Outerbridge suggested parish volunteers should form anti-gang watchdog groups with the help of churches to patrol local streets every night and working with Police.

"We need to take back our communities and not allow it to perpetuate through lack of vigilant action," he said.

Kelly Clarke Madeiros said fixing the gang problem was not solely up to the Government and Police but added: "Until anyone willing to speak up feels they and their families are protected people won't speak up until it hits them too close to home and their worlds will shatter apart forever! It is only a matter of time before innocent patrons are hit by deflected bullets and innocent children are killed."

l What do you think needs to be done to stop the violence? Email roklynch@royalgazette.bm