Following the country’s latest homicide, New Covenant Baptist Church Pastor Emeritus Simeon Hall warned Bahamians that they should not “cower” the spirit of murder and accept is as the “new normal”.

“A demonic culture of deadly violence increases not merely because some are set on criminality, but because of the comfortable, so-called ‘good people’ who remain passively silent or are complicit in criminal activities,” Bishop Hall said yesterday.

“Politicians, preachers and appointed public officials who engage in asinine diatribe must be told that they fan the flame of violence, sometimes unwittingly.  

“Ignorance leads to fear. Fear leads to hate. And hate is so insidious, that all it lacks is the opportunity to kill.”

According to Bishop Hall, the news of the assault and murder of another person has lost the shock and dismay it caused a few decades ago.

“Civilized and well-thinking Bahamians and residents must continue to believe and work for all that can be done to rediscover the beautiful community we once enjoyed – where life was seen as precious from the womb to the grave,” he said.

“More than 50 lives have been ended senselessly this year by this demonic culture of murder.The good work of the police notwithstanding, some Bahamians embrace a romance with violencewhich continues to end in young black men and women being mowed down like animals.”

On Sunday, a man was shot dead while standing outside his home on Roland Street, Ridgeland Park.

According to police, the incident occurred shortly before 4 a.m.  Paramedics responded to the scene, but were unsuccessful in reviving the injured man, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

Also on Sunday, a man was sitting outside a home on Lucky Hart Corner, off East Street when he was fatally shot by an assailant.

Police said the incident occurred shortly after 1 p.m.  Paramedics were called to the scene, but the man was pronounced dead.

Investigations into both incidents are ongoing.