Monday, April 7, 2014
By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
TWO men were stabbed to death during the weekend in two separate incidents, one an act of retaliation and the other following an argument over a plate of food at a children’s party.
At just four months into the new year, the deaths have pushed the country’s murder count to 29, according to The Tribune’s records.
Both homicides occurred on Saturday night. However, authorities do not believe that any of the matters are connected.
In the first incident, police said they received reports of gunfire at a government apartment complex, also known as the “Big Yard” on East Street just opposite Coconut Grove Avenue.
Police said they received calls of an incident at around 8:30pm.
Once they responded to the scene, Central Detective Unit Chief Paul Rolle said eyewitnesses revealed that several people had gathered at the complex when a gold coloured SUV entered the yard. At least one of the men got out of the vehicle and opened fire on a group of persons. As a result, one man was shot in his head.
While at the scene Mr Rolle said: “As the persons got back into the SUV and attempted to get away, heading south on East Street, they were pursued by a group of persons and the vehicle crashed into a pole, as you see behind me.
“At that point persons who were pursuing them produced weapons and discharged into the vehicle where both persons on the inside of the vehicle were shot.”
A short time later, both wounded men got out of the vehicle and ran south as they were being chased. Their assailants then stabbed one of the men multiple times in his body. He was taken to the Princess Margaret Hospital where he died from his injuries.
While police did not officially release an identity, police sources said he is Rashad McIntosh, of Pinewood Gardens.
The other man, police believe, was taken to hospital by private vehicle. He and the other victim who was shot in his head are listed in critical condition in hospital.
The second man to lose his life this weekend has been identified by police sources as 31-year-old Mario Coakley, of Farrington Road.
Authorities were at East Street, when they received reports of a stabbing incident at Eneas Street, off Meadow Street.
Investigators at the scene said that around 10pm a man went to a home where there was a barbecue and children’s party underway. A second man, eyewitnesses said, went to the rear of the residence, collected a knife and approached Coakley.
An exchange of words then took place resulting in Coakley being stabbed multiple times in the chest and upper body. When Emergency Medical Services responded to the scene, his lifeless body was lying in the street.
The assailant then fled the scene. As he ran, officers from the Enforcer Unit arrived and pursued the suspect who was arrested.
Mr Rolle said he is a 27-year-old man of Yellow Elder Gardens and was in custody at CDU while police conducted their investigations at the scene.
Eyewitnesses said the stabbing occurred following an argument over a plate of food.
Police appealed to members of the public to come forward with any information they might have to assist investigators in both cases.
Comments
Bahamianpride says...
Absolute Madness.....10:00 p.m childs party, death over plate of food, shooting followed by vigilanty justice murder, total ignorance and lawlessness...
Posted 7 April 2014, 10:02 a.m. Suggest removal
Thinker says...
Government needs to revisit its original role of social services and stop getting involved in the free market. If we do not begin focusing on education and sociability, society's youth will continue to spiral down the path to prison, unfortunately.
Posted 7 April 2014, 10:27 a.m. Suggest removal
newcitizen says...
Entirely right, this problem needs to be stemmed with educating the next generation.
Posted 7 April 2014, 11:50 a.m. Suggest removal
BahamianAway says...
Senseless loss of life...SMH!!!
Posted 7 April 2014, 10:30 a.m. Suggest removal
TheMadHatter says...
Why didn't the loud-mouth churches provide that man with a plate of food?
**TheMadHatter**
Posted 7 April 2014, 11:44 a.m. Suggest removal
CANDACESCOTT says...
whats your beef with the Church? you are very unreasonable and binded by whatever fault you find in the Church.
Posted 7 April 2014, 2:31 p.m. Suggest removal
TheMadHatter says...
Wow. So WHATEVER fault I find in the church means that I am unreasonable and blinded? Super-wow. So that means the church is perfect? LOL.
My "beef" as you say, is that the church is always making noise and in reality running this country via controlling society's daily behaviour - and their "way" of running it is that as long as people have Ramen Noodles to eat and manage to barely stay alive then they should "Thank God for life" and carry on.
They do not inspire people to improve themselves, to live within their means, to breed within their means, to enjoy their bodies which God has given them (and he even sent his son to be in one of these same bodies, and also stated that he made us in his own image) - but instead tell people that they must be "holy" and abstain and all sorts of other unworkable and inhuman objectives that are unrealistic.
It is fine to consider and make preparations for some faith in an afterlife (and I do believe we have one) - but to constantly talk about hell and heaven and being holy and stuff every day is a waste of time. Our schools are falling apart - our kids have a D average - our hospitals and clinics don't have needed medications equipment and supplies - our roads are full of potholes - etc - etc.
But you go ahead and keep giving your money to the church, and you will see the country keep going just the way it's going. But, then, I guess you can enjoy the afterlife instead.
**TheMadHatter**
Posted 7 April 2014, 10:23 p.m. Suggest removal
wardnr2 says...
This article had nothing to do with the church and your follow up statement to the initial reply is based solely on your opinion. You may be at one church that doesn't inspire but Christianity isn't mainly a walk with other believers, its mainly a walk with Jesus and as you walk with Jesus you are edified by the fellowship with your brothers and sisters in Christ. Following Christ is inspiration enough.
You are talking about potholes and the education system which is part of the government portfolio (responsibility). The church cant be expected to fix all society's ills. The church can be a partner with the family (father and mother or guardians) to assist in teaching the word of God and wait for God to work in the unbelievers life. The church can outreach with funds and services as they deem fit but the church doesn't function as a fix all. Only God can do that.
Posted 7 October 2019, 2:22 p.m. Suggest removal
TheObjectiveVoice says...
This is the stupidest thing I have ever read... I think this is worse than the fella who got killed for stealing guinep of the tree. Why are you going to argue over a plate of food ....at a children's party. Number one, it's a children's party. You shouldn't have been there in the first place. This is insane...
Posted 7 April 2014, 4:33 p.m. Suggest removal
BahamianAway says...
This obviously wasn't a children's party, or it may have started as such but turned into an adult affair. No way does a children's party continue until 10pm. When I was a child any parties we had ended by 5pm and we were in bed by 8pm.
But then again in this day and age could have very well been a child's party complete with bouncing castle at 10pm- cause half these parents have no parenting sense or skill.
Posted 7 April 2014, 6:04 p.m. Suggest removal
John says...
SPIRITUAL WARFARE...THE DEVIL MAY APPEAR TO BE WINNING BUT GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL
Posted 7 April 2014, 10:17 p.m. Suggest removal
slim242 says...
The streets of Nassau, slowly becoming like the streets of Kingston, Jamaica. A child party should have ended from 5p.m., but @ 10 in the night that is an adult party. Your life is a joke to these young thugs. Senseless Killing.
Posted 7 April 2014, 8:12 p.m. Suggest removal
Publius says...
And where in this story do the police say anything about the murder happening due to an argument over food? The police never said that in their reports and the story itself, quoting the police's report, doesn't say that either though the headline does. Tabloid headline journalism continuing to flaunt its seedy head, since that's where this headline actually came from, online tabloids
Posted 7 April 2014, 8:30 p.m. Suggest removal
ThisIsOurs says...
*Eyewitnesses said the stabbing occurred following an argument over a plate of food*..,guess that's where the headline came from...
Posted 7 April 2014, 9:26 p.m. Suggest removal
John says...
So the police cars and the promise of additional courts do not seem to be working. So then we need to call a national day of prayer and worship. The church and government and the business community must come together and be on one accord. Hold marches and worship services in all the hotspots in New Providence and Grand Bahama.."if my people who are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray, then shall I hear from heaven and heal their land" it was not a murder over a plate of food. The demons of death used a plate of food to claim another life. Christ already got the victory over death and the grave. We must now claim it as a nation.
Posted 7 April 2014, 10:44 p.m. Suggest removal
ThisIsOurs says...
Not everyone in the nation falls into the "**MY** people" crew
Posted 8 April 2014, 1:46 a.m. Suggest removal
John says...
Parents watch what you are buying for your children. Much of the clothing today is full of demonic symbols: skulls, daggers, upside down crosses, and even misquoted scripture. Satanic symbolsSome of the signs and symbols are keenly hidden as part of other designs on the clothing or footwear and even toys. If they were harmless why would they want you dressing your children (and adults too) in them and you are not aware of them?
Posted 7 April 2014, 11:28 p.m. Suggest removal
BahamianAway says...
.
Posted 8 April 2014, 9:17 a.m. Suggest removal
BahamianAway says...
That is the stupidest thing I have heard...
Posted 8 April 2014, 9:17 a.m. Suggest removal
HarryBlack says...
Killed over a plate of food?
I thought The Bahamas was the wealthiest nation in the region.... This speaks wonders as to the value of life in the Bahamas.
So what now??? It's not just your money and personal items you have to protect, it's also your corn beef and white rice???? Are we gonna have to start clamping down on restaurants, like we did with the cash for gold establishments? This is a downright crying shame that anyone could kill for food, and we all sit back and write it off as just another crime statistic. We are doomed!!! This is past sad, sad, sad, sad!!!!! Someone, anyone please do something to help Bahamians to appreciate life!!! The Bahamas is becoming the laughing stock of the world!
Posted 8 April 2014, 2:29 a.m. Suggest removal
digimagination says...
It IS a part of the US in a subtle way. At the end of the day the government here will (discreetly) do anything and everything it is told to by Washington...
Posted 9 April 2014, 2:10 p.m. Suggest removal
bonnieval says...
What's happening in our country is demonic. The enemy, Satan the devil and the powers of darkness are very real and if we don't believe that, then we are sure to continue down this path. The enemy is using the fact that we have allowed our education system to sink to such a low, that we are producing a generation of ignorant people. It is sad, when I see what is happening in our beautiful little country. We have allowed mediocrity to reign supreme, and it's in every strata of our society. We are a people who get very offended if we are told that we may be wrong about anything. That's ignorance! I am of the opinion that we as a people must begin to take responsibility for what is happening in our nation. We can't continue to blame those in power, we have to stand up for righteousness.
I know that many of our people have thrown the Church out with the 'bath-water,' but that's our only hope to change what is going on in our land. Think of it, If it wasn't for the Church and the people of the Church where would we learn right from wrong? Where would the good people be? It's only because of the Church and the teaching of the Bible that we are able to tell good from evil. I don't hear any other organization teaching or preaching about how to love one another, and how to be your brothers keeper. We only know what is good because the Church has attempted to teach it. Everyone in the Church is not right, but there are more right people there than anywhere else. We don't usually hear about murders and fights being committed at Church functions. These occur where people are usually not educated and there is lawlessness and darkness.
Our country was a whole lot better off when Education was sponsored by a number of the Churches. These two went hand-in-hand. Character education was the order of the day. We were taught not just how to make a living but how to live with one another. Our Churches are not perfect, but neither are any of the other institutions. I hear the cry for tolerance for every other group of people, but the Church. Why is that? I dare say, that it is the plan of the enemy to bring disdain for the Church, so that he could continue to wreck harvoc in our little Christian nation. People let's embrace education, pray and turn from our wicked ways, so that our land may be healed!
Posted 8 April 2014, 4:54 a.m. Suggest removal
HarryBlack says...
The root cause of our problems is greed. Greed for material things, greed for other people's way of life, and greed for food. We need to tackle the demon of greed in this country.
Posted 8 April 2014, 5:34 p.m. Suggest removal
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