OF THE 762 murders in the country since 2012, 629 of these have been as a result of gun violence, National Security Minister Marvin Dames revealed yesterday. So far this year, he said, there have been 31 murders, but 87 percent of these or 27 involved firearms. Between 2012 and 2018, approximately 602 or 82.4 percent of the 731 homicides involved guns, he also said.

Together, the numbers paint a picture of what the minister called a “gun epidemic” intertwined with challenges authorities face with the transshipment of drugs. “The Bahamas does not manufacture guns either, however, the gun epidemic is closely tied to the transshipment of drugs,” Mr Dames told Parliament yesterday as he made a push for members to accept and pass the National Crime Intelligence Agency Bill 2019. “Further, more often, than not, small arms weapons greatly affect our incidences of homicides on our streets. Between 2012 and 2018, approximately 602 or 82.4 percent of the 731 homicides involved firearms...

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