Police have named a father of two as the victim of a firearm attack that happened at about 3.40pm yesterday in the Riviera Estate area of Southampton.

Chief Inspector Derricka Burns said that 26-year-old Kawaje Raynor was shot “several times” in the yard of a residence at 7 Railway Trail off Riviera Crescent.

She told a media conference: “He was outside his residence with others when two suspects arrived at the property on a dark-coloured motorcycle.

“The motorcycle entered the yard of the residence and the victim was shot several times.

“The passenger returned to the motorcycle and both suspects left the scene travelling west along the Railway Trail.

“A dog that was at the residence was also shot and killed.”

Ms Burns said that the attackers were believed to have been driving around the area “hunting” for a target before the fatal shooting.

She said the motorcycle was believed to have been “travelling through and casing the area” in the region of the Railway Trail, Scenic Heights, Southampton Rangers and surrounding neighbourhoods.

Ms Burns added: “Detectives believe the suspects may have been searching for their intended target.”

She said police were seeking CCTV and Ring camera footage, and believed members of the public may have seen a motorcycle “acting suspiciously minutes before the shooting”.

“Even the smallest piece of information may be of assistance to this investigation,” Ms Burns added.

“A full investigation has been launched and a large team of detectives have been assigned to the case.”

Officers will spend today carrying out house-to-house inquiries and searching the community, Ms Burns said.

Early details indicated that one of the riders wore light-coloured clothing believed to be grey, while the other wore dark-coloured clothing including a jacket with a reflective strip.

Ms Burns said that no arrests had been made in connection with the investigation.

Darrin Simons, the Commissioner of Police, expressed his condolences for the friends and family of Mr Raynor.

He added: “As a family man myself, I understand that there are no words that can truly ease the pain of losing a loved one, especially under such sudden and violent circumstances.”

Mr Simons said the incident was the fifth firearm murder since August 2025, which he called a “sobering statistic” for the island.

He said: “I want to reassure the community that your safety remains our primary focus. We are not treating these incidents as isolated numbers on a page.

“We recognise them as tragedies that affect the peace of mind of every resident.”

Mr Simons described the fatal shootings as a direct assault on community-held values and said that the BPS would work to ensure the culprits face the full weight of the law.

He said that the government CCTV network has already proven useful in the investigation.

However, the commissioner added that policing is most effective when carried out in collaboration with the community and urged members of the public to do their part and come forward with information.

Mr Simons said: “In the coming days you will see increased police activity in the Southampton area and other parts of our island in keeping with our ongoing Operation Sentinel.

“Our officers are there not only to investigate, but to be a visible reassurance and resource for you.

“I encourage you to speak with them if you have any concerns or information to offer. We are here for your safety.

“Bermuda is a close-knit community. By standing together and looking out for other people, we can ensure that our neighbourhoods remain the safe, peaceful places that they are meant to be.”

Mr Simons said that early indications were that individuals had concerns about the motorcycle seen in the area before the incident.

He said: “That’s the point in time where you need to call the police so we can get to spaces quickly or in advance of something happening.”

Mr Simons said that it was a “reasonable assumption” in murder cases involving a firearm that the suspects were gang-connected, but added it was still too early to say what the direct motivation for the shooting was.

He added that whenever someone loses their life in such a manner, the BPS was alert to the possibility of retaliatory attacks.

Questioned about gang tensions, Mr Simons said there was an ongoing seed of tension between a number of gangs, most prominently Parkside, One-Ten and EBK.

The Bermuda Police Service called for anyone who may have seen riders behaving unusually to contact Detective Constable Mark Raposo at 717-2487, call 211, contact Crime Stoppers anonymously on 800-8477 or speak with a familiar and trusted officer.

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