An outpouring of grief was unleashed from the steps of City Hall last night as the family and friends of four murder victims joined together to rail against violence.

The loved ones of Shaki Crockwell, Marcus Gibbings, Jason Lightbourne and Shaundae Jones told a crowd of several hundred about their constant pain after a march through the streets of Hamilton.

As dusk fell on the capital, speaker after speaker took to the microphone to deliver words wracked with raw emotion.

Marsha Jones, who has been a vocal campaigner for justice since her son Shaundae was shot dead at Dockyard in 2003, told those gathered: "For the first time, I'm short of words. First of all, I'd like to thank you all for being supportive and caring. Shaundae was my heart."

Her voice shaking, she went on to describe the horror of viewing her 20-year-old son's dead body and the sorrow of knowing she'll never see him again.

"I was looking forward to my grandchildren and my daughter-in-law and it's something I'll never be able to experience because Shaundae was my only child."

Danny Crockwell, whose son Shaki was gunned down on the Railway Trail two months ago, said: "All this violence has got to stop because they took my youth.

"They took something away from me — that's my son, Shaki Crockwell. I don't want nobody to feel the pain that I feel." He added: "That was my superstar and he'll always be my superstar, dead or alive."

Lillian Outerbridge, aunt of 18-year-old Jason Lightbourne, who was fatally shot in Paget last year, cried as she said: "I miss my nephew, I miss him every day, but what can I do?"

And Richard Roberts, a friend of Trinidadian Marcus Gibbings, who was stabbed to death a year ago, said: "Bermuda is going in a direction it should not go. We have lost a loved one that was very dear and I wish this on no one."

Huge photographs of the slain four were held high in the air as those taking part in the Stop the Violence march wended their way from King Street along Church Street just after 6.30 p.m. And other murder victims were remembered too.

Members of the Rebecca Middleton Foundation — set up in memory of the Canadian teen killed here in 1996 — took part and her father Dave contacted The Royal Gazette from Canada to say: "I would like to add my voice of support to this march that is reminding the people of Bermuda that there is too much violence.

"The families of the murder victims are victims of these crimes also and I admire their efforts to prevent the rise in the number of victims by taking a stand.

"I would hope the legislators in Bermuda take note of the concerns voiced by these families and enact legislation that will help in reducing crime and making the criminals more responsible for their actions."

That Bermudians of all ages and races have been affected by recent violence was clear last night. Shaki Crockwell's two-year-old nephew Ny waved a flag bearing the colours of his uncle's Boulevard football team.

Shaki's sister Chianne, 20, said: "It's a sad day but we'll come out of this eventually. The Lord will help us. It don't even matter what race or colour you are, we have got to stand together."

That message was repeated by those who spoke on the steps — from senators Gina Spence-Farmer and Wayne Caines to doctor and preacher Stanley James.

Sen. Spence-Farmer said the violence happening on the Island had to end.

"Bermuda, we can't afford to keep doing this," she said. "There is too much pain, there is too much hurt."

Sen. Caines was applauded as he asked the crowd: "Are we really to stand as a country united and say that violence against any human being is wrong? Whether it's domestic violence, whether it's bullying, whether it's on the streets or at football games."

Dr. James described the silence surrounding the murders of the four men as "the greatest violence in Bermuda". "We have lost our voice," he said, adding of those gathered: "We are just Bermudians crying out to take our country back."

Strong winds put paid to a planned candlelit vigil but instead demonstrators held their lit-up cell phones aloft as the event drew to a close.

Reverend Ronald Smith implored the crowd to wave their hands in the air and chant: "Ain't no place like home; I'm proud to be Bermudian" as they dispersed into the night.