How the Public Is Responding to the Death of a 4-Year-Old Killed in Hail of Bullets

Following the killing of a four-year-old on Tuesday night, some members of the public are calling for the ultimate punishment for convicts accused of killing children.

Reports are that Kenton Seymour Jr was in a vehicle with his parents on West and Fleming Streets around 10 pm, when gunmen reportedly chased and fired shots at a man, instead shooting into the windshield of a car, killing the young boy who was sitting on his mother’s lap.

The child was rushed to the hospital but died a short time later.

Renewed calls for capital punishment were echoed on social media.

“Our biggest problem is the Privy Council. They never deem anything ‘the worst of the worst’. Our own judicial system here has been failing us,” Taylor Mara said.

Brittonee Newry asked, “How many kids have to die for the nation to get serious? Does the violence have to hit the home of some elites for the ax to come down on the heads of these murderers?”

Alexandra Major lamented, “This is unacceptable. Something must be done about all these killings and guns.”

Senator Maxine Seymour joined in the chorus, responding to a post by Helen Johnson who asked, “How many more innocent children’s lives will be taken by these ruthless thugs? Members of Parliament and Senators, please make changes to the law.”

Seymour said, ” You’re quite right. Anyone who harms a child in any way, not just death, deserves the ultimate punishment.”

Though the death penalty remains on law books, it has not been carried out since January 2000.

The Bahamas’ highest court based in London, The Privy Council, ruled in 2011 that the death penalty law should only apply to murders deemed the “worst of the worst”–a person who kills a police or defence force officer, a member of the Departments of Customs or Immigration, judiciary or prison services would be eligible for a death sentence; a person convicted of murdering someone during a rape, robbery, kidnapping or during an act of terrorism.

Kenton’s murder was one of three shooting incidents yesterday.

Police said they have seen an uptick in homicide cases. 82 murders have been recorded for the year.

Police said they have the intended target in custody and are searching for the suspects in this latest homicide.