One Bermuda Alliance senator Nandi Outerbridge told the Upper House “half my generation has gone” as she paid tribute to gun murder victim and friend Taylor Grier yesterday.

Ms Outerbridge said: “After this weekend’s senseless murder of Taylor Grier, somebody who was very influential in this community, somebody I grew up with — yet another one of my peers gone down. I just want to make an appeal to the public that this is not a government issue, this is not a police issue, this is everybody’s issue and in such we should be taking matters like this very seriously. We cannot accept this.”

She was speaking after Mr Grier, 30, was shot at the junction of Court and Elliott Streets in Hamilton last Friday night and died later in hospital.

Another man suffered non-life threatening injuries in the attack.

Ms Outerbridge said Mr Grier “helped many people, especially the young people, in his community” through his dance group.

She added: “This is crazy. To me it’s just absolutely insane and I’m sick of having to put up ‘rest in peace’, I’m tired of it. If we even tried to have a class photo or reunion, we couldn’t, because half of my generation is gone.

“So I want people to let that sink in for a bit. Families are being heavily affected by these rash decisions to take people’s lives and if we can say something, if we know something or saw something, it’s one step closer to safer streets.”

Ms Outerbridge said she wanted to say more. But she added it was “really hard” for her to talk about the subject “at this point”.

Michael Dunkley, the Shadow Minister of National Security, said in a statement from the One Bermuda Alliance that “we are stunned, devastated and saddened to learn Friday night of another senseless murder”.

He added: “I knew Taylor as a constituent and friend whom I enjoyed conversing with about our beloved home.

“He was always keen to discuss opportunities and issues facing Bermuda. Just last week we continued our discussion on cryptocurrency.

“My colleagues and I send prayers and condolences to his family. Let’s do all we can to support them during this very difficult time.”

Mr Dunkley also called on anyone with information about the shooting that could help the police to “say something and help the grieving family and our community”.