gunviolence

The man killed in South Beach on Sunday is Garvin Hanna, believed to be 19 years old.

Hanna was described by friends on social media as “a sweet soul.”

Clad in a white shirt and black sweatpants, his body was found face down around 9 pm with gunshot wounds in a vacant area near the beach.

Police initially faced difficulty identifying him and pleaded with the family to assist them. Since the public plea, social media users posted his image and name.

Wilda Barochin said, “My tire went down and he stopped what he was doing to change it for me. Then he was like a son—sweetest soul ever.”

Friend Unique Neely added, “[He] never bothered [any] one. Justice for Garvin.”

And his cousin Addie Finlay reminisced on the days as children. “Rest easy lil cousin. We will miss you. Will never forget our days when you and sister use to be fighting to sit in the front seat of my car to touch my music.”

Garvin was one of two gun violence victims on Sunday. The other homicide occurred two hours later in the western area of New Providence.

The police force in the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos are looking for one man who is wanted in each country for murder, drugs and firearm offences.

Brandon Rahming, a 33-year old is wanted by the Royal Bahamas Police Force for drugs and firearms and his last known address is listed as Turks and Caicos.

But he is also wanted in the British Territory of Turks and Caicos for murder, drugs and firearm. The RTCIPF believes that his last known address is a local area, The Bight Providenciales and Freeport, Grand Bahama in the Bahamas.

Rahming is known to frequent the Dock Yard and Kew Town in Turks and Caicos, which have become synonymous with crime.

As the crime wave heightens there, on Tuesday morning, a family was the latest victim of murder in the Dock Yard. A man and woman were found in a car, shot to death. The youngest victim, a 3-year-old boy later died from the gunshots and a 7-year-old girl was wounded during the attack.

Last week Saturday, another man was shot in the crime hotspot area.

Why it matters

Officers from the Bahamas went to Turks and Caicos to help fight crime in the British territory. It was speculated that criminals may be traversing between the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos, though authorities have not presented that information to the public.

But on Saturday, Turks and Caicos Commissioner Trevor Botting met with Bahamas Commissioner Clayton Fernander to discuss deepening the relationship between the two countries.

Rahming is described as 5 feet, 7 inches of slim build. If you see him, you are asked to call Crimestoppers at 242-328-8477.

Friends and family of the woman killed on Sunday night expressed shock after they learnt that she was one of four victims killed by gun violence in the Rock Crusher area.

The sister of Keithra Stubbs who is believed to be in her mid 20’s, said, “They killed my sister.

“Keithra baby, you cut your big sister deep. I will always love you,” Lashanda Collie said.

Stubbs and others were purportedly in the area, engaging in conversation when two gunmen exited a Japanese-style van and fired assault weapons at the group of people that gathered, hitting the four people.

Stubbs was shot and died on the scene, while another individual identified by social media as Andrew Burrows was also shot, and died while in transit to the hospital.

People speculated that Stubbs was a partner of Burrows who was on bail for murder before his death, but Collie shot down the rumours.

“…my sister was an innocent bystander walking through her neighbourhood…”

Another sister, Kaylisa Stubbs screamed, “no” in disbelief when police reported Stubbs’ death. “Yall killed my sister. Yall killed me too.”

Cousin Ryesha Johnson said, “My heart is so heavy. Oh Lord,” while another cousin Debra Bain exclaimed, “My heart can’t take no more.”

A friend identified as Woods Neke said, “It doesn’t feel real. I have an empty feeling in my stomach.”

The violent death of Stubbs and Burrows brought the country’s murder count to 112 for the year.