Superintendent James Howard - On behalf of the Bermuda Police Service, I wish to begin by conveying sincere condolences to the family and friends of 42 year old Mr. Michael Steven Phillips who sadly lost his life on Sunday evening. 

As I reported previously, about 9:35pm last evening Mr. Phillips was shot a number of times whilst outside in the parking area of the Mid-Atlantic Boat Club, which is located on North Shore Road, Devonshire.

The murder of Mr. Phillips represents the 4th death caused by the use of a firearm in Bermuda this year.

I want to reassure you that we will use all the resources at our disposal to bring the offenders to justice.

However this cannot be done alone, and I therefore encourage anyone with information or knowledge of this incident to make contact with the detectives in this case, or Crime Stoppers. I would also encourage anyone who may have seen or been in contact with Mr. Phillips over the last 24 hours to also contact the officers in the case.

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

Acting Detective Chief Inspector Calvin Smith, Officer in Charge of the Serious Crime Unit - At about 9:35pm Sunday 14th October, 2012 police officers responded to reports of shots fired on North Shore Road, Devonshire – in the area of the Mid-Atlantic Boat Club.

The circumstances are that the victim Michael Phillips attended the Boat Club on a motorcycle. He entered the club, came back outside a short time later and got on the cycle. He proceeded to the parking lot exit. At that stage a suspect ran into the parking lot and began firing a handgun at Phillips.

Simultaneously another suspect entered the club and fired approximately 3 shots from a handgun causing the crowd of patrons to scatter. No one in the club was injured.  

Both suspects then left in a westerly direction on what was believed to be a dark coloured motorcycle.

Phillips was taken to the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital where attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful, and he was declared dead a short time later.

I can formally identify the deceased as Mr. Michael Steven Phillips, who was 42 years of age.

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

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

An overseas forensic pathologist will be conducting an autopsy in the near future.

We have again seen the tragic loss of life unfold in our neighborhoods and I am urging anyone that can assist in bringing offenders to justice to contact the police Serious Crime Unit – or Crime Stoppers.  

We are extremely keen to speak with anyone who was in the area of the Mid-Atlantic Boat Club at the time of the incident. Any person who may have been with or seen Mr. Phillips within the last 24 hours prior to his death are asked to make contact with the detectives investigating this incident.

Members of the public who can assist in bringing the offenders to justice can do so by doing 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.

During previous press conferences in relation to firearm incidents the media have asked whether those incidents were gang related. Currently there is no evidence to indicate that this particular murder was gang related; however the police will leave no stone unturned to establish the motive behind this latest gun murder.