NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Don Saunders, a prominent politician in the Bahamas, was reportedly killed in an armed robbery on Wednesday, according to local law enforcement. The incident occurred when two armed assailants attacked a group of people outside a business establishment near Nassau, the nation’s capital.
Saunders, aged 49, was a former parliamentarian and currently held the position of deputy chairman of the Free National Movement Party. He was declared dead at the crime scene, as confirmed by official statements.
Reporting this distressing event via social media, parliamentarian and Leader of the Free National Movement Party, Michael C. Pintard, wrote, “We are still gathering all of the facts as we come to grips with this tragedy.”
The Royal Bahamas Police Force made an official statement detailing that the crime transpired before 9 p.m. in Gambier Village, located to the west of Nassau. Preliminary investigations suggest seated patrons outside the establishment were accosted by two masked armed individuals demanding cash, which led to panic and ensuing gunfire.
The victim was shot in his upper torso and displayed “no vital signs of life” by the time that first responders arrived at the scene.
No arrests have been made thus far, and it is reported that after the shooting, the culprits escaped in the victim’s gray 2014 Nissan car. Prime Minister Philip Davis expressed his profound sadness over Saunders’ death in a social media post.
The Royal Bahamas Police Force has called upon the public to provide any information they might have about the crime.
Reflecting on an escalating violent crime scenario, the U.S. Embassy in Nassau had, in January, issued a security alert for the Bahamas. The embassy had registered 18 murders in the city during the early weeks of the year, some of which occurred in broad daylight.