Police Appeal For Witnesses To “All Out Brawl”
[Updated with video] Police are appealing for witnesses to the altercation on Saturday morning outside of Ice Queen, which resulted in the death of a 27-year-old man, with the police saying a ”large group of men and women were involved in an all-out brawl where several men brandished bottles, helmets and other projectiles.”
The incident took place at around 4.15am on Saturday [Aug 22] and resulted in the death of 27-year-old Johnathan Darrell.
“A major melee took place in the parking lot with a number of people involved,” the police previously said. “As a result, Johnathan Darrell from Sandys was taken to King Edward Memorial Hospital with an apparent stab wound to his chest. Unfortunately, the victim was pronounced dead at 4:28 am on Saturday.”
7-minute video of today’s police press conference:
Speaking at a press conference today [Aug 24] Supt. Sean Field-Lament said, “On behalf of the Bermuda Police Service, I would like to express our heartfelt sympathies to the family and friends of Johnathan Darrell. Our thoughts are with them during these very difficult times.
“The Bermuda Police Service has launched an investigation into the untimely death of Mr. Darrell which is spearheaded by the Serious Crime Unit [SCU] under the direction of Acting Inspector Jason Smith and a family liaison officer has been assigned to the family of the deceased to help them manage and cope with the process.
“This marks the second murder for 2015 and already officers are following some promising lines of inquiry. We know there were numerous witnesses to this senseless crime. It is incumbent for those persons who have any information that may assist to police to come forward.
“If you know something say something- it is up to us as a community to step forward and put end to this type of violent anti-social behavior. I will now turn you over to Acting Inspector Jason Smith.”
Acting Inspector Jason Smith said, “On Saturday, August 22, at around 4:15 am, there was a major altercation that took place at Rural Hill Plaza outside of Ice Queen.
“During the altercation, a large group of men and women were involved in an all-out brawl where several men brandished bottles, helmets and other projectiles.
“This melee’ ended with 27 year old Johnathan Darrell being stabbed in the chest. He was subsequently taken to KEMH where he was pronounced dead at 4:28 am.
“During the time of that incident, there were between 50-60 individuals that were congregated in the area. Some were in line purchasing food at Ice Queen, whilst others were sitting in cars and others were in the area socializing.
“The Bermuda Police Service would like to make a very specific appeal. We would like to communicate with anyone who:
- “1. Observed the incident as it unfolded, no matter how insignificant it may seem, we would like to communicate with you.
- “2. We would like to speak to anyone who may have been involved in the melee. This is your opportunity to come to us.
- “3. We would like to communicate with anyone who may have heard anything in the community that may be significant.
“We are asking for people in our community to be bold and help give closure to the family of Mr. Darrell. The Bermuda Police Service would like anyone with any information pertaining to this case to contact the Serious Crime Unit at 295-0011 or the Confidential Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-8477.”
The police also said that three people were arrested shortly after the incident and have subsequently released on police bail, said CCTV is assisting the investigation and asked anyone who may have filmed the altercation with a cameraphone to contact the police.
There has been way to much trouble there after hours
they should be given a 10am to 10pm license only and if the people don’t like they only themselves to blame.
Yes, punish the business owners and hard working staff. That should solve the problems.
What the need to do is hire security guards if they want to be open at that hour.
It’s a well known problem spot in the early morning when all the drunk people drive in to get food.
Why aren’t the police there doing sobriety checks and etc. on Friday and Saturday evening/mornings.
They do have a security the police need to have a bigger presence in the area… but than that will mean they will have to hire more police and that’s gonna cost government to much $$… so looks like the people of Bermuda needs to control themselves
were else were the police be at 4-15 front street or ice queen thts really the only 2 places tht anything may happen. poor police managment . u hve robo cops for police. i was in hamilton n watch 1 guy try to defend himself on d porch of the beach so i start takin d guys out 1 by 1 d 15 police r sittin on d side-walk right there n doin nothin n i took 2 guys put them right nex to d cop they just looked at me, that is why nobody respect d police they r only here for show n not to protect or deal with sweios incidence as they r hapening. the gun attack at baileys bay the police arrived 50min after the call was made wen the car arrived to the hospital with the victim that had been shut the ambulance was just leaving d hospital to go get the victim. police need 2 carry guns n gas canisters as well for stuff like this. bermuda is a different animal now start treatin it like that
Why stop there? Why don’t we ban all bikes and cars from the roads after 10:00pm. Just think how much safer our walls will be.
What? You must not get out much
Your sarcasm detector is working great!
what a typical bone headed statement.
So why am I to blame? They get most of their business after midnight so it would be detrimental to close at 10pm. They do have a security guard, but he can’t be expected to stop a brawl.
What needs to happen is that Ice Queen needs to employ uniformed off duty Police Thursday, Friday & Saturdays to ensure the public is safe while patronizing this establishment. This sort of thing happens far to often at this place. Just think about the amount of murders that has happened there over the last ten years, you may well be shocked by the numbers. And the same old story, no one comes forward to testify. The young Mallory boy is a good example of what I’m speaking about. With all that said, the entrance was changed when the tourist was run
Over by the transport truck, can we not have the off duty police stationed there. Just my ten cents worth.
Nothing posted on Youtube, instagram or Facebook yet?
@Scoalsy I want say 10pm they should extend to 12pm or make sure they have security if they are going to stay open late hours. I know in the states they have security late nights in fast food restaurants but they have security period.
How bout we have a Police presents there every weekend there. They getting paid so much
So you are happy as a tax payer to provide police security at ice queen every weekend?
Sounds like they need to have their own private security like any late night establishment, regardless if it’s just food and not alcohol they are providing. A lot of the people there have been drinking or under some sort of influence.
I always see police driving through there late. Can’t be everywhere.
yea, lets have the police provide security at a private business, after all we have enough police patrolling the streets right? Lets also have police provide security at every night club and late night restaurant island wide and still respond to speeders and drunk drivers and assaults. Ice queen or whoever owns the property needs to take responsibility for securing their own property and patrons, it is not the job of the police to provide security there and I dont want them sitting there while houses are being broken into, drunk drivers crashing into walls and flipping their cars.
what utter nonsence, the Police is the only public service that is actually loosing jobs and are taking biting cuts in order to try and help the govt out more than can be said for the bloted civil service
I’d get a little tired of giving the police a present every weekend.
There is no reason for that many people to be loitering! If you aren’t buying food at that hour then don’t hang around period!
And what happens if the Police tells a group of people they can’t congregate there, they have no reason to be there, they shouldn’t be loitering, they have to move?
How long will it take before Lynne Winfield tells us that the police are picking on them because of their race?
That last comment though, hahah!
Good god people! It’s loitering Its against the law! Suck it up buttercup! Its 4:00 in the morning! GO THE F*** HOME IF YOU’RE NOT EATING. I am staring to see a pattern here of Bermudians just thinking they can do whatever the f*** they want. I am tired of this s***.
Surely they have CCTV at Ice Queen? That would be the first camera I would install.
The restaurant shouldn’t suffer. How about the Police sit at ice queen from 2:30am-4:30am to ensure it’s safe the same way they sit outside the beach on Friday and Saturday nights.
the beach like all the other night clubs have private security, the police sit outside on the roadside, they dont provide security for them. Ice queen or whoever owns the property has the responsibility of securing the property and its patrons.
The police sit outside of The Beach Bistro to provide a visual deterrent. They can do the same thing outside of Ice Queen.
They did after the first stabbing for a period of time. Until things became setteled and everyone felt it was safe. Now a second stabbing.. lets continue with our REACTIVE society instead of a preventitive one!!
This is not the first time that Ice Queen has had an altercation outside their business. With all the fights and stabbings that go on around there, they should put up cameras around the whole building. Things always pop off by Ice Queen over the weekend, there should be police car parked in the parking lot almost every night and every weekend. After the first murder around there, precautions should have been put in place.
This makes me sick to my stomach! This is not the first senseless murder outside of Ice Queen! We ALL know there is CCTV cameras alllll around Ice Queen, there’s 2 ATM’s there! It’s obvious that these cameras were not working and what’s that excuse ???? Because there hasn’t been any murders recently we aren’t going to worry about them ???? Why does Bermuda do stuff to help the safety of Bermuda and never keep up with it! It’s like all the digital speeding signs up, they work for a few months and then they’re back off for another few months. Stuff has to be maintained and kept up to date for a reason!That’s why they were put up RIGHT!? Those cameras AND all the other CCTV cameras should be monitored on a regular so when sh*t happens like this someone can be brought to justice. All we have now is a murderer on the loose, a grieving family and CCTV camera(s) at Ice queen that don’t work!
Not sure where you are getting your information but The cameras were checked and action was taken with the footage. I would check facts before you go on a rampage
Ice Queen been an after the club drunk hangout for years! If popo breathalyzed all the cars and bikes, the cells would be full!! Actually that should be the first spot to start doing those roadside sobriety checks that they say are gonna happen. GAME ON!!!
Not one of you have blamed those guys for coming there and instigating or taking part in this fight. Blame Ice Queen, blame the Police. Like WTF….
They should helped us all by simultaneously taking out each other. Don’t tell me no parent or family member saw their child come home with unexplained bruises?
Bunch of enablers.
Everybody comes to Icequeen in a vehicle. The property should be structured to facilitate a drive through. Stay in your car, place your order, pay your bill, pickup your grub and keep moving. Works everywhere else on the planet.
Ice Queen isn’t a standalone building, it’s literally in the corner of the property. You’d have to pretty much construct a new facility in the plaza to make it a drive-thru restaurant.
This situation is very sad…all of those people was there and not 1 witness would speak up wow very sad
You know what needs to be done.
Would it not be smart to utilize reserve police? At least theyll be doing something instead of waiting to be called upon. Jus sayin
I hope the p#**y who brought a knife to a fist fight gets a good severe comeuppance
Once again all I hear is how the innocent have to suffer for the guilty…It is not Ice Queens responsibility to provide anything other than food…Until Bermudians take responsibility for their own actions you could have the military posted there it won’t change s#!t…you can’t expect to be babysat for your entire life if so go live in North Korea or some other dictatorship…I call for the reinstatement of the prohibition of alcohol…you know, that liquid courage enhancer…that mind altering, internal organ destroyer…but nooooooo we can’t have that right? If they were smoking weed they would have been laughing eating then SLEEPING…NOT KILLING!. Until you put a ban on the consumption of the Devils juice…things will continue to deteriate…also just remember that the killer was your son or daughter not the police or a staff member. Get a grip on your siblings or you will be burying them too. We need to start a bully beat down fad…Make it cool to cold cock a wanna be goon who may be seeking attention…Let them stand up for their rights then knock ‘em down for their ignorance. GUARDIAN ANGELs sound good…
Difficult part is most people there were probably drunk and their use as a credible eye witness may be damaged. This is a problem spot every weekend but I have seen cops there on occasion.
My opinion is that if personal drug use could be issued a fine than cops wouldn’t have to waste 2-5 hours booking and processing non-violent “criminals” and they would have more time to patrol problem areas where violent crime that actually affects communities can be prevented