Superintendent James Howard - On behalf of the Bermuda Police Service, I wish to begin by expressing sincere condolences to the family and friends of 24 year old Pembroke resident, Mr. Lorenzo Stovell who tragically lost his life on Sunday evening. 

The murder of Mr. Stovell represents the 3rd death caused by the use of a firearm in Bermuda this year. Four persons have been shot and injured (and not died) in 2012.

The Bermuda Police Service recognizes that this incident will undoubtedly impact the local community. We want to reassure the community that the Bermuda Police Service will use all the resources at its disposal to bring the offender or offenders to justice.

It is important that everyone remains calm and allows the police to work to catch the gunmen involved. However this cannot be done alone, and we rely on the people of Bermuda to come forward to assist the police to make Bermuda safer. I therefore encourage anyone with information or knowledge of this incident to make contact with the detectives in this case, or Crime Stoppers.

I now hand over to Chief Inspector Pedro for him to provide an update on the investigation.

Detective Chief Inspector Nicholas Pedro: Officer in Charge, Serious Crime Unit - At about 11:43pm Sunday 23rd September, 2012 police officers responded to reports of shots fired on Malabar Road, Sandys – across from Woody’s Bar.

The circumstances are that the victim and several female friends were on a “party bus” travelling to various locations across the Island. The victim was mostly paralyzed from having been shot on a previous occasion. He remained on the bus whilst the females he was in company with went inside Woody’s to celebrate.

The bus had been there for just over an hour when the gunman approached the bus firing several shots into the bus. The driver of the bus drove the victim to Port Royal fire station where attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful, and he was declared dead a short time later.

I can formally identify the deceased as Mr. Lorenzo Stovell, who was 24 years old, and resided in Pembroke.

I would like to take this opportunity to pass on my sincere condolences to the family & friends of Mr. Stovell who are grieving his loss at this time. The family is being assisted by a Bermuda Police Family Liaison Officer.

A full investigating team from the Serious Crime Unit is investigating the murder of Mr. Stovell and has been working through the night since this incident was reported, and is pursuing a number of investigative leads.

An overseas forensic pathologist will be conducting an autopsy in the near future, and we are extremely keen to speak with anyone in the area of Malabar Road & Woody’s Bar at the time of this incident.

I will not release any more information at this time as the investigation is still in its infancy.

We have again seen the tragic loss of life unfold in our neighbourhoods and I am urging anyone that can assist in bringing the offender or offenders to justice to contact the Police Serious Crime Unit – or by calling Crime Stoppers. Callers can do the following:-

• Call the independent & confidential Crime Stoppers hotline at 800-8477.
• Call the Serious Crime Unit on 247-1739.
• Call any Police Station and speak to one of our officers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on 295-0011.