By SANCHESKA DORSETT

Tribune Staff Reporter

Sdorsett@tribunemedia.net

A 15-year-old boy is the country’s latest murder victim after a shooting off Prison Lane last night. 

The boy was shot in front of a house in Greenwich Street shortly after 8pm by a man in a dark coloured Honda.

He was taken to hospital where he later died.

This came just hours after National Security Minister Marvin Dames said that there has been a slight decline in killings under the Minnis administration.

In response, Christian Council President Bishop Delton Fernander said the country was not interested in trends but viable crime solutions as he refuted the claim.

 Mr Dames told reporters outside Cabinet that, despite a recent uptick in homicides, the murder rate in the last six months of the year is slightly less than the first four months.

However, the figures he provided were inaccurate based on Tribune records.

According to Mr Dames, there were 58 homicides during the first four months of the year, January to April. He added there had been 54 murders from May to the present - not including this latest shooting death.

“So if you compare the first four months with the last six months you can see it’s decline, not a meaningful decline, but there are some inroads being made,” the national security minister said.

Tribune records show there were 50 murders at the end of April, and, taking into account the latest killing, there have been 63 murders since that period. 

Yesterday, Bishop Fernander said: “Definitely we don’t see the trend. The truth of the matter is we are talking about trending down or up but the people are not concerned about trends, we want viable solutions. We know all of us need to work together whether it’s the opposition or the church, evil flourishes when good people do nothing.”

Bishop Fernander told The Tribune the council planned to meet with Mr Dames to appeal for a gun amnesty, adding it was time for the country to rise up and unite.

“We will also be submitting ourselves for information,” he continued, “we’ve gotten quite a bit of reviews saying they don’t trust some of the people at the police force. So we’re going to offer ourselves as pastors for persons to come with information and we can then turn it over to the police. 

“It is our hope this will be embraced by the Minister, and there will be less isolation and more collaboration.”

At Cabinet yesterday, ahead of Bishop Fernander’s comments to The Tribune, Mr Dames said he did not see the need for a gun amnesty because previous attempts did not produce significant results.

He underscored the Royal Bahamas Police Force has “adjusted its strategy” to target gangs rather than individual criminals.

Mr Dames also said the majority of people being sought for murder, in addition to those being murdered, are all “children”.

“We are determined to get this crime problem under control and we have adjusted our strategy to take down groups and organizations. If you take one suspect, some one else pops up so we are taking down groups and we will get them,” he said.

“We have warrants out for seven persons for murder and the oldest one is 38, these are children we are dealing with. One of the most recent matters, the individual was in custody then he was released and within hours he went and committed a homicide and was arrested again.

“The officers are doing a tremendous job,” he continued.

“What you see happening now is that officers are not just looking at solving one murder but we understand the complexity related to these issues, so we know that they are gang related and they are being driven by persons who are fighting for turf to sell drugs and so they are trying to take out the next one.”

Last month Commissioner of Police Anthony Ferguson announced the establishment of two separate RBPF anti-crime units aimed at eliminating gang activity in the country and reducing the number of homicides.

Mr Dames’ comments outside the Cabinet office yesterday came 24 hours after 23-year-old Gregory Hanna was shot and killed in a shooting on Ida Street.

According to reports, Mr Hanna was standing in front of a house when two men in a Honda vehicle shot him before speeding off. He was taken to hospital where he later died of his injuries.

Police immediately launched an island-wide manhunt which led to the arrest of one of the suspects. The other suspect, along with several other men, are being sought in connection with this and several other murders in the area that occurred over the past months.

Mr Dames also said the majority of people being sought for murder, in addition to those being murdered, are all “children”.

“We are determined to get this crime problem under control and we have adjusted our strategy to take down groups and organizations. If you take one suspect, some one else pops up so we are taking down groups and we will get them,” he said.

“We have warrants out for seven persons for murder and the oldest one is 38, these are children we are dealing with. One of the most recent matters, the individual was in custody then he was released and within hours he went and committed a homicide and was arrested again.

“The officers are doing a tremendous job,” he continued.

“What you see happening now is that officers are not just looking at solving one murder but we understand the complexity related to these issues, so we know that they are gang related and there are being driven by persons who are fighting for turf to sell drugs and so they are trying to take out the next one.”

Last month, Commissioner of Police Anthony Ferguson announced the establishment of two separate RBPF anti-crime units aimed at eliminating gang activity in the country and reducing the number of homicides.

Anyone with information on any of the country’s killings is asked to contact police at 911 or 919, the Central Detective Unit at 502-9991 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 328-TIPS.