A senator has offered his condolences to the family of shooting victim Dekimo Martin and labelled him a 'brilliant young man' with the potential to do good in his life.

Senator Marc Bean knew Mr. Martin by his nickname 'Purple' and said yesterday: "He was one of the most brilliant young men I have ever met.

"He was very intelligent. He was one of the more intelligent youths that you will meet. And sometimes that intelligence led him astray, but that doesn't take away from the fact that he was (smart)."

According to Senator Bean, he never judged Mr. Martin by what he looked like on the outside, but saw the soul within the body.

"I saw his potential," he said, adding that all young men have the ability to rise above their situation and do something positive with their lives.

As a result he was shocked to learn of Mr. Martin's death in the early hours of Friday morning, only metres from the Senator's own house and in an area so far untouched by violence.

"Up until this point I have had a sense of pride that my community hasn't been visited with anti-social behaviour and gun violence, but the reality is it is eventually going to reach every point of the Island," he said.

He sent his condolences to the Martin family, who have been struck by three tragedies in the past six months.

Earlier this year, they lost one family member in a bike accident, Senator Bean explained, another member was imprisoned due to a court matter and last Friday they were hit by more sad news.

He offered the Martin family some words of encouragement in their troubling time and said: "Even though the family have been going through trials and tribulations, (they should) leave it in the hands of the Lord."