By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

AFTER the United States raised its travel advisory for The Bahamas over the weekend, police called a press conference yesterday to assure the public that they are working to address the high murder rate.

Nineteen people have already been killed this year, one of the deadliest starts in the country’s history; two people were killed over the weekend.

The US changed the country’s advisory level from Level 1, which means “exercise normal precautions”, to Level 2, “exercise increased caution”.

This is not the first time the US State Department has elevated the country’s advisory level. Officials say the warnings historically do not deter tourists.

Chief Superintendent Chrislyn Skippings said the country is still a safe place.

She suggested other government officials are addressing the elevated advisory with the US.

“I can say to you that the matter is being addressed in another forum at this time and so I wish to allow that forum to deal with it,” she said.

 During the press conference, police said a 17-year-old youth from eastern New Providence is in custody for allegedly killing Israel Gibson on Pineyard Road on January 17. The suspect is expected to be charged with murder today.

 Police also said they have a 26-year-old in custody helping with the latest murder. In that incident, an 18-year-old youth was stabbed multiple times at a bar near East Street and Soldier Road around 2am on Saturday. When he was being taken to the hospital in a private car, the driver lost control and crashed into a wall near East Street and Sands Lane. Emergency medical technicians found no signs of life when they arrived at the scene.

 In the earlier killing, a man was shot dead, and two others, a man and a woman, were sent to the hospital after a shooting around First Street, Coconut Grove, between Palm Tree Avenue and Robinson Road.

 The victims were reportedly gathered in front of a residence when people in a white coloured Nissan car approached. Three men, all with firearms, reportedly got out of the car and opened fire on the group. The 27-year-old suffered gunshot wounds to his upper body and died in hospital. The two other victims, a 50-year-old woman and a 31-year-old man, were shot in their lower body.

 Furthermore, police said a 25-year-old male is in custody helping with the investigation of the attempted murder of Demetrio Forbes, 17, at Esso On The Run on East Street South on January 23. A video of the incident was widely circulated.

 An adult man in Abaco is expected to be arraigned today on two counts of attempted murder in Abaco in connection with a shooting on January 22 in Cooper’s Town. 

 Police said seven people were arrested accused of murder, and another seven were arrested for breach of bail conditions last week.