A grief support charity is alarmed that victims of gun crimes are “becoming younger and younger” after a double shooting on Wednesday night.

The Gina Spence Programme said it was saddened after two boys, aged 15 and 16, were injured during an incident in Pembroke.

Ms Spence told The Royal Gazette: “The fact that these victims are of high-school age makes this especially heartbreaking.”

She added: “We cannot become desensitised to children carrying the burden of trauma and grief.”

The Bermuda Police Service said officers were notified when the teenagers attended King Edward VII Memorial Hospital shortly before 10.25pm seeking treatment for gunshot wounds that were not life-threatening.

Police appealed for witnesses to the attack. The exact location and time of the shooting remained unclear, but their information suggested shots may have been fired in the area of Langton Hill and St John’s Road between 9pm and 10pm.

The suspects are described as two males wearing dark-coloured helmets and clothing, riding a motorcycle.

Officers conducted checks in St John’s Road, Langton Hill, Mount Hill on Thursday as well as St Monica’s Road, The Glebe Road and other nearby locations in Pembroke.

Police urged residents of those areas who may have Ring or other CCTV devices to check whether they may have captured images of people fitting the descriptions of the suspects or any suspicious activity around the time of the shooting.

Ms Spence, whose charity works closely with people dealing with the effects of violent crime, said that while she was grateful the victims were expected to recover physically, surviving a shooting was often only the beginning.

She added: “The emotional wounds of the loss of safety, innocence and peace can remain long after the physical injuries have healed. There is often a level of fear that the survivor carries silently.

“What is perhaps most alarming is that our victims are becoming younger and younger.”

Ms Spence said the charity viewed gun violence not solely as a crime issue but also one of grief and trauma.

“Healing is prevention and if we truly want safer communities, we must invest as intentionally in healing hearts as we do in responding to violence and the hearts that are broken,” she said.

She said for more than 35 years, the Gina Spence Programme had stood alongside grieving families and communities in the aftermath of violence.

Ms Spence said: “We have walked with schools, sports clubs, coaches, faith leaders and neighbourhoods as they struggled to support those whose lives have been forever changed.

“We know that when one young person is shot, the grief is never confined to one family. It ripples through an entire community.

“Our prayers are with these young men, their families and everyone impacted.

“No heart should grieve alone and together we must do more to ensure our children grow up with hope instead of fear.”

Jarion Richardson, the Shadow Minister of National Security, said the One Bermuda Alliance was “deeply troubled” that two teenagers had been shot.

He added: “We are relieved that their injuries are reported to be non-life-threatening, and our thoughts are with them and their families.

“No child should be exposed to this level of violence.”

Mr Richardson said the incident reinforced “the urgent need” for a sustained response that combined intelligence-led policing and firm enforcement with early intervention, support for vulnerable young people and meaningful engagement with their families and communities.

The Opposition encouraged anyone with relevant information to contact the police.

Anyone with potential information is asked to contact Acting Detective Inspector, Anneka Donawa on 717-2250, or via e-mail at adonawa@bps.bm.

Witnesses were also encouraged to call the 211, the main police number 295-0011 or the independent and confidential Crime Stoppers number, 800-8477.

Members of the public can also report the incident at portal.police.bm or speak to an officer they know.