Residents expressed fear for the safety of their children yesterday as bullets ricocheted through their neighbourhood.

According to witnesses, two men on a motorcycle raced down Rambling Lane, Pembroke, just before 3 p.m. "in retaliation for the 42nd Street shootings".

As they approached the bottom of the lane, their faces covered by dark visors, a man on the back alighted to fire several shots, and the pair then sped back up the hill.

According to eyewitnesses they headed east along Curving Avenue, briefly pausing at a bend near to St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church to fire another couple of shots, before driving off.

"I heard the gunshots, there were about five or six. It was frightening, particularly as children play in this neighbourhood," said a 34-year-old neighbour.

"It was two guys on a bike. They had black visors. They rode down the hill and one got off the bike and shot down in here (Rambling Lane) three or four times, and then got back on the bike.

"Then they rode back up the hill and must have gone up that way (east on Curving Avenue), and started shooting again, somewhere round the corner."

The woman, who did not wish to be named, said: "There's a lot of kids in the neighbourhood, that I fear for. I wouldn't say there's a gang problem here, but there is a gun problem.

"We heard the 42 boys got shot today and I'm sure it's a retaliation, that's what I've heard."

Neighbours in 'The Curve' said the word on the street was the incident was directed at the Parkside gang, in response to two men being shot in St. Monica's Road, Pembroke, which is also frequently referred to as "42nd Street". One of the victims later died.

Yesterday, two officers from the Armed Response Unit combed the area, while four dog handlers from the Bermuda Police Service K-9 Unit searched for evidence.

At approximately 4 p.m. a 9mm shell was found lying in the road at the bend in Curving Avenue near to St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church.

Pastor Lloyd Duncan of 'Greater' Smith Hill Church in Curving Avenue said he was "shocked and dismayed" by the drive-by shootings.

"The community here has been quite safe and I'm shocked and dismayed by this incident.

"Government needs to concentrate on these sparks of violence which are popping up in our society. The gang problem is of great concern to me because I have a son who is six and a daughter who is 15, and what we are seeing among a segment of our young people in Bermuda definitely needs to be addressed."

Rev. Duncan said: "Against a backdrop of an Island of 22 square miles, we can't mimic what is going on in North America. We must challenge the young people participating in this behaviour."