Murder Toll Rises to 34 in The Bahamas: Recent Incidents Spark Community Concerns

NASSAU – The murder toll in The Bahamas climbed to 34 so far this year after two people, including a 25-year-old man, who was stabbed to death by a minor, said to be a relative, were killed over the weekend.

Police said Topaz Baillou, 25, had been stabbed to death during an incident that has rocked the family’s small, closely knit community in Upper Bogue, Eleuthera.

Police said that Baillou and the male suspect were involved in an argument on Friday night when the minor allegedly produced a sharp instrument and stabbed Baillou in his upper body. Baillou, a father of one, reportedly got out of the car and collapsed a short distance away.

North Eleuthera administrator, Stephen Wilson, said the incident highlights the need for peaceful conflict resolution.

“My understanding is that these young boys, they weren’t a problem to the community. I’ve never heard of them being involved with any activity that ever caused them to be named in a negative light. It’s a tragic situation. I really give my sympathy out to the mum,” he added.

Police also reported that a 42-year-old man was killed in the Kennedy Subdivision after a gunman fired multiple gunshots in his direction before fleeing into a vehicle that had been parked nearby. They said another man, 41, is in the hospital in critical condition. (CMC)