By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was shot multiple times and killed late on Thursday night while walking in the Mackey Street area of Nassau.

The killing took place shortly after 10pm and brought the country's murder count to 62 for the year, according to The Tribune's records. After the first six months of 2015, the total was 74 on the way to a record year of 146 homicides.

Police say they received reports of gunshots being fired in the Wilton Street area. When officers arrived atthe scene they found the lifeless body of an adult male, lying on the ground with multiple gunshot wounds to the body.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officer in charge of the Central Detective Unit, Chief Superintendent Clayton Fernander, said police have no motive, no suspects and no leads at this time but officers are canvassing the area for information.

Police have not identified the victim but The Tribune understands he is Demario Smith, aka 'Fat Cat'.

Anyone with information on this homicide is asked to contact ppolice at 911 or 919, the Central Detective Unit at 502-9991 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 328-TIPS.

During the budget debate in the House of Assembly last month, National Security Minister Dr Bernard Nottage said crime was down 29 per cent compared to the same period last year.

The Bain Town & Grants Town MP stressed that the government will not be satisfied until a much more dramatic reduction in violent crime occurs even as he released statistics that indicate crime is trending downward.

Dr Nottage has sometimes been described as tone-deaf for how he discusses crime trends, struggling, some say, to tread the line between admitting that violent crime remains one of the country’s most significant problems and insisting that the ongoing strategies authorities are employing are having a positive affect on curbing crime levels.

He acknowledged however the fear many Bahamians have about crime and pledged to communicate more often with the public about police efforts to address the problem.