Police yesterday afternoon still had a cordon around the scene of one of Bermuda's worst killings in recent years.

Motorcycle officers joined city colleagues in front of yellow crime scene tapes and orange-and-white cones as Police examined the spot where Jermaine Pitcher suffered fatal machete wounds in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Three other men -- understood to include the victim's brother Shane -- were yesterday still being treated for their injuries in the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

But grim-faced Police on duty around the scene were yesterday refusing to answer questions from members of the public on what was going on.

And passers-by were stunned by the violence of the crime -- which left Mr.

Pitcher bleeding to death from slash wounds outside a Reid Street night spot.

One woman said: "I can't believe this is Bermuda -- I don't know what's going wrong, but we have to do something fast.'' And a young man added: "Man, it's mostly to do with drugs these days -- they're everywhere.'' Another said: "I think this is the first killing of the millennium -- it's not a good start, is it? An expensive grey BMW -- understood to have been involved in the killing -- was still parked at an angle in the middle of the road opposite Champions nightclub, a members-only club once called the Ambassadors Club.

Others parked at the scene were examined for blood stains and other evidence.

Police were still taking photographs in the late afternoon sun on the sidewalk outside the club. But by last night the barriers were down and traffic was allowed to use the street.

Club bosses were last night refusing to comment on the killing -- saying they had been ordered to keep quiet by Police.

And staff at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital said they had also been told not to release information on the condition of the injured.

The members-only club, formerly Ambassador's is usually open all night.

Sources say the late-night party atmosphere in the club was shattered when someone ran in to report a fight in the middle of Reid Street.

One witness said a barely-conscious Jermaine (Baby Red) Pitcher -- covered in blood -- staggered to the club's doorway and collapsed.

Two other men were seen slumped on the sidewalk across the street near Joell's Alley.

Bar towels were pressed into service as makeshift bandages to try and stem the bleeding from Mr. Pitcher's wounds.

Passers-by shocked by brutal crime But despite frantic efforts by members of the public and ambulance crews, he was declared dead on arrival at hospital.

Reports from the scene were confused -- with one on-looker describing screaming women fleeing the scene after a fist-fight turned ugly and weapons appeared.

Some said drugs were involved, while other said one man, beaten in a fight, disappeared and then returned with a machete.

But others insisted an incident in which the grey BMW bumped a pedestrian sparked the fight.

A large crowd of onlookers watched and waited for Police who arrived in strength minutes after reports of the attack first reached security staff at the club.

Champions owner Delvin Bean confirmed a "full complement'' of security staff were on duty.