A 34-year-old man was last night shot dead as he put trash outside the Hamilton Parish Working Men's Club — the fourth fatal shooting in less than a month.

The victim, who has not been identified, was shot at about 9.30 p.m. He was from the St. Monica's Road area of Pembroke, and was a football player.

A few hundred yards away from the scene, the Bermuda fire service tackled a huge house blaze although it is not known if this was linked to the shooting.

It is the latest in a string of fatal shootings to hit Bermuda in December Kumi Harford, Gary Cann and Shane Minors were all shot dead in gang-related incidents. It is not known if the latest incident was gang-related.

Last night Bermuda Police Service media relations manager Dwayne Caines said: "Police responded to a report of gunshots fired in the area of the Hamilton Parish Working Men's Club. It was ascertained that a 34-year-old man was shot. He was taken to the hospital where he later died as a result of his injuries."

Mr. Caines added: "It's very early in the investigation. We have a team of officers from the serious crime investigation team and other officers involved and an active investigation has commenced.

"We ask that anyone who saw anything suspicious to contact the Bermuda Police Service on 295-0011 or the anonymous and confidential Crime Stoppers hotline on 800-8477."

An armed Police traffic checkpoint was put into operation outside the Bermuda Aquarium around 10.30 p.m. with vehicles heading west from Hamilton Parish being checked by officers before being allowed on their way.

Last night a woman who witnessed the killing said: "I saw it all. It was three guys, one with a black hoody and the other two had on white hoodies. The third had the gun and fired three shots. They shot him as he was bringing the trash out of the club. He's got children. He's a very good guy who changed his life around. He's a good family guy."

The woman claimed members of the Parkside/Middletown gang may have been responsible for the killing.

A man who lives near the club, known as the Crawl Club, said: "I just heard gunshots, probably two or three of them. That's all I heard. The Police arrived and then the ambulance."

Asked for his feelings about the shooting happening so close to his home, he said: "I'm a little uncomfortable. What can I say? Very uncomfortable. I'm trying to keep my family together right now."

Bystanders tried to administer medical help to the victim after the shooting, but The Royal Gazette understands he was dead on arrival at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

Police set up a roadblock outside the Bermuda Aquarium and Zoo in nearby Flatts, although Mr. Caines could not comment on whether this was part of the hunt for the culprits.

Neither could he say whether a house fire in a nearby street last night was linked to the shooting.

However, he confirmed that armed Police were among the officers sent to the scene, along with members of the Serious Crime Unit and Forensic Support unit.

• Did you see what happened? Did you take pictures or video of the incident or the fire? Email newsroyalgazette.bm