Here is further reaction from across the Island to the death of teenager Kellon Hill last Saturday.

The Premier's race relations consultant Rolfe Commissiong: "First of all my condolences go out to the Hill family. My heart is torn every time I hear of these types of heinous acts being committed. However, let us not forget nor lose sight of the fact that these behaviours and senseless crimes of violence, resulting in the loss of innocent life, have been going on for a little over a decade now. Sadly, it is a long established trend. Moreover not all of these acts result in the murder of the victim. Only two days ago in Peoples Pharmacy, I bumped into a mother of a young black man who was stabbed multiple times and received a significant head wound only some weeks prior to the incident we are discussing now.

"My fervent hope is that the community is firstly: ready to face some hard truths with respect to the issue of our young and not so young black men; and two: is now also ready to look beyond the symptoms i.e. gang violence, and is determined to have a more substantive examination of this issue. One small vindication for us has been the growing consensus that the comprehensive study of this very valuable group within our community is needed now more than ever.

"The Premier and I both agree that it is imperative that we get a definitive look as to how culture, family dynamics, education, economic and other factors are contributing to this phenomenon. The study on black males being conducted by Professor Ronald Mincy of Columbia University, while not providing the total answer, will make a key contribution to our understanding of the relevant issues and assist us in devising a blueprint for effective action.

"In a country that possesses no tangible natural resources, our most precious resource in this country is our people. That is why to lose even one through a tragedy such as this is one too many."

Salvation Army head Major Doug Lewis: "Suffice to say the family unit is breaking down and we need to take steps to strengthen it. The church needs to become more active. We know that 'it takes a village to raise a child' but we need to realise that 'it takes a church to raise a village'."

White Hill community leader and PLP Senator Marc Bean: "The path to higher moral standards for adults and young people must start from within. Knowledge of self in these times and in the future will be critical and the only way you can love and respect your neighbour is by loving and respecting yourself.

"It sounds simple, but the task now, is to put that simplicity into practice and in that we should look to family as well as look within ourselves."

Former MP Julian Hall: "All of these random acts of violence, whether fatal or not, are just so very tragic. For some reason, maybe the apparent senselessness of it all, Kellon's death and the manner of his dying is about as tragic as it can get.

"I have known this young man's father, Daniel Hill, for many years; a gentle man, one of Bermuda's most talented musicologists who comes from a family long steeped and reared in the finest of Christian traditions. No family can deserve this. As I look at the picture of the whole family, without their "baby" brother and son, my heart just goes out to them, and I pray that they will find peace, soon. I also pray for the perpetrators and their families.

"But most importantly, I pray for our community; the Bermudian community. Never mind the US, Canada, England or anywhere else; this is now a Bermudian problem. As Bermudians, we must find a Bermudian solution. If any good emerges from this tragedy, it will be the result of an all-party Bermuda-wide commitment to search for, and to arrive at, real answers without rancour, recrimination or more violence.

"I have always been proud of my own contribution to the abolition of capital punishment in Bermuda. But I have to say that this incident has severely dented my commitment even to that cause. Maybe we need to put everything, and I mean everything, back on the table for discussion.

"It just seems to me that we have produced an entirely new generation of young people: angry, alienated, desensitised to the value of life itself. I am picturing a generation of young kids whose DNA has been virtually rewired, and while I know there must be answers and solutions, I know that no one of us – no one group or political persuasion – can hold the monopoly of wisdom on this one. Maybe everything needs to be put back on the table. Now."