Home Affairs Minister Sen. David Burch has again appealed to the public to come forward with information that will put the killer of Aquil Richardson behind bars.

Sen. Burch made the appeal as he declared an 'all out war' on criminals saying in the coming weeks and months the public would see evidence of 'unrelenting efforts' to rid Bermuda of crime.

His comments come in the wake of the Christmas Day and Boxing Day shootings which left one man dead and two others injured.

The violence began when Jakai Harford was shot in the shoulder in the Camp Hill area of Southampton at 12.20 a.m. on Christmas Day. Around 9 p.m on Boxing Day, 30-year-old Mr. Richardson was murdered and Levar Smith, 25, hit in the legs – again in Camp Hill.

Both injured men had Police guards while they were treated at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital. They were discharged a week ago.

Police continue to hold three men in custody in connection with the shootings.

Sen. Burch said: "As it relates to the recent shootings, while the Police are thankful for the assistance received from various members of the public, there is still a need for individuals, particularly those who were in the vicinity of these incidents, to come forward and provide the Police with any pertinent information.

"If they wish to be anonymous, they can call the confidential Crime Stoppers hotline and provide details of what they know.

"As I stated only days ago, we have begun the process of transforming our approach to crime prevention to address this latest round of immediate challenges.

"We have declared an all out war against crime and criminals.

"And I am again putting criminals on notice that we will pursue them, apprehend them, and place them before the courts.

"In the coming days, weeks and months, residents will see tangible evidence that the Bermuda Police Service is unrelenting in their efforts to rid our society of crime."

When asked to clarify what measures the Police would be taking, a spokesman for the Minister said: "When the time is appropriate, and at the Minister's discretion, he will expand on and update on any initiatives."

At least ten men have been arrested by Police investigating the shootings, and extra security was in place for the New Year's celebrations following the violence. Reserve Police were called in and armed officers sent on mobile and foot patrol.

Sen. Burch also commended Bermudians for bringing in the New Year in a harmonious manner.

He said: "By our very nature Bermudians are a hard working and law abiding people, and I want to commend our residents for ringing in the New Year in such a peaceful and incident free fashion – one that is most befitting a country like Bermuda.

"I want to pay particular recognition to the Island's youth who participated in the various events and celebrations over the 48-hour period.

"They also deserve praise for resisting the temptation to engage in nefarious activities."

"Finally, once again, I wish to assure residents that this Government is committed to strengthening the capacity of our Police force to ensure a safe and secure environment for all Bermudians.

"However, we cannot do it alone. As this new year approaches, let us all work together through strong Police, private and public sector partnerships to make Bermuda a better and secure place for all of us."

• Anyone with information about the shootings should call 299-4323 or the confidential 24 hour Crime Stoppers Hotline on 1-800-623-8477