By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

SEVENTEEN year-old Luther Hart’s life changed dramatically in January 2023 when, in a moment of rage, he fired a shot with a high-powered rifle after being attacked on his way home. Since then, he has worked hard to turn his life around.

Mr Hart, a former student of CI Gibson, reflected on the decision that altered his life while attending the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s Second Chance Programme graduation ceremony on Friday. He was one of over 60 students who graduated from the programme, which supports at-risk youth in grades 9-12 who struggle with behavioural issues.

During his early high school years, Mr Hart fell in with the wrong crowd. He admitted that in his 11th year, he made a “terrible decision” that changed his life in an instant.

“I was attacked on my way home. At that time, I was so angry and upset that instead of calling the police, I took matters into my own hands. I ran home, grabbed a Draco AK-47 rifle, came back, and shot off one without guilty conscience,” Mr Hart said.

“That decision was not only wrong, but it was also something I deeply regret. I regret letting my mother down, letting Ms White down, and letting myself down.”

A ShotSpotter detected a gunshot near Wilton Street, close to DW Davis High School. The information indicated that a young male, armed with a high-powered rifle, had discharged a shot and fled on foot. Officers quickly responded and observed the young man dropping a black backpack containing the rifle.

Corporal Alyssa White, the school resource officer at CI Gibson High School, worked closely with Mr Hart during his time in school. On the day of the incident, Corporal White had advised him to take the bus home, but he chose to walk instead. Since the incident, she said, Mr Hart has paid his debt to society.

Mr Hart was charged with possession of an unlicenced firearm and ammunition, to which he pleaded guilty. He was remanded at the Simpson Penn School for Boys and later granted bail with a curfew that allowed him to attend church.

Mr Hart said being arrested was a difficult experience. However, he has since turned his life around by attending the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI), completing the National Centre for Construction Education and Research programme, and participating in the National Training Agency’s monetary workforce programme.

“I felt proud of myself for achieving these things,” he said. “But I still carry the weight of my past decision. I have learned a long life lesson.”

Mr Hart urged graduates to remember that one rash decision can have lasting consequences. He also noted he is currently unemployed, finding it difficult to secure a job due to his troubled past.

During the ceremony, Commissioner of Police Clayton Fernander commended Mr Hart for choosing a better path and gifted him a new iPhone so they could stay in touch.