Hundreds of residents attended a vigil in the West End last night to mourn two people who were killed during a shooting that happened nearby.

The crowd lined the streets around Simmons Place to honour the lives of Jasmin Smith, 32, and Shaquan Williams, 29.

It came after the Bermuda Police Service announced that a second suspect — a 23-year-old male — was arrested in connection with the incident, which rocked the island last week.

The BPS added that the first man arrested in the investigation remained in custody while the search continued for two others.

Kenny Simmons, who was present on the night of the deaths, said the community lost “two beautiful people”.

He told the gathering: “These people were on the best side of their lives. Both of them — I saw it.

“Jasmin was a great ambassador — she had 20 tourists in my establishment a week before [the incident]. Suppose that was supposed to happen that night.”

Mr Simmons, who with his wife runs the Simmons Place building that houses Legends, reminded the vigil that “hurt people did this”.

He also urged people not to retaliate in response to this tragedy.

Mr Simmons said: “In order for this country to move forward, we’ve got to get these guys sitting down to a table together.

“It’s going to be hard because all of us know forgiveness is one of the hardest things, but this is how this country will start healing people.”

He added: “This is to those on the other side of this — nobody wins in this. Nobody wins.

“It’s a lose-lose when you choose that type of life to live.”

Attendees signed condolence books for Ms Smith and Mr Williams, while many others tied red, white and blue ribbons to the railing outside the store.

As the evening grew dark, almost everyone lit candles or shone phone lights in memory of the pair.

Carmelita Simmons, Mr Simmons’s wife, said her “heart was full” to see the amount of people who came to pay their respects.

She added: “My husband and I have opened our hearts and our building to these young people.

“We tried to give them a safe space and a job. We have young people here who have started businesses in this building. So our hearts are very heavy tonight.”

Nicole Fox, whose son Ricco Furbert was shot and killed in 2013, offered her condolences to the families of the deceased.

She also called on those involved in the attack — and anyone living a life of violence — to think of the mothers involved.

Ms Fox said: “You have no right to put us through this.

“Have you ever heard a mother’s cries? Have you ever been at the hospital when that mother heard ‘your son didn’t make it’? None of you have been there.

“So all of you guys with guns in their hands, listen to a mother’s cries.”

Ms Fox urged anyone who thought about resorting to violence to think of their own families and “put the guns down”.

She said: “I’m not asking that you all be friends, I’m just asking that you stop killing our children.”

Michael Weeks, the Minister of National Security, reminded the community that the public needed to “stand up” to make a difference.

He said: “In the couple of years I’ve been minister, I’ve been to more than my share of these.

“We come together, we burn candles, we say things that are nice. But if we're going to make a difference then we have to stand up, we have to speak up and we have to call it out as it is.

“That’s the only way we’re going to save lives.”

Robert King, the shadow national security minister, insisted that “enough is enough”.

He said: “This needs to stop, but the only way it will stop is if we do things differently.

“It means that we’ll tell the truth and that when certain decisions are being made about certain behaviours that we’re not going to turn a blind eye to it.”

Mr King said the community had to make a “tough decision” about how to respond to the tragedy.

He said: “Are we going to respond with compassion, love and understanding to preserve life, or are we going to use violence to seek revenge and then have another funeral?”

Four men entered the bar on May 1 at about 10.30pm when it is believed that shots were fired “indiscriminately” at patrons.

Ms Smith and Mr Williams were killed and three others were injured.

One of the suspects still at large was believed to be injured at the scene, possibly by a gunshot.

The BPS spokesman thanked people who had come forward to police with information that he said “helped us to significantly progress our investigation”.

Acting Detective Superintendent Jason Smith called on anyone with possible knowledge of the whereabouts of the suspect believed to be injured “to get in contact with us, in order that we may get them the medical assistance they require”.

He added: “The extent of those injuries is not known but based on evidence retrieved, it appears to be serious.

“If you know who this person is or where they might be, but prefer not to contact police, then please get them to hospital as soon as is possible.”

Anyone who has not yet come forward to police with information on the shooting was urged to “please do so — no matter how insignificant you may think that information to be”.

Mr Smith can be contacted on 717-0864 or by e-mail at jsmith2@bps.bm.

Information can be given anonymously through the independent and confidential Crime Stoppers number, 800-8477.

Members of the public can also report online at portal.police.bm or speak about the matter with an officer they know.

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