By STAFF WRITER

FN News Desk

The murder count in Grand Bahama has risen to eight for the year with two murders reported on Wednesday night and early Thursday morning.

The first report came in at around 9:42 p.m. Wednesday to the Central Detective Unit telling of a man being stabbed in the Sunridge Road and Carissa Street area in Freeport.

Police liaison officer Loretta Mackey said on responding, the officers discovered that the victim, a 26-year-old man, had already been taken to the Rand Memorial Hospital in a private car.

However, shortly after 10:00 p.m. he had succumbed to his injuries.

This man has been officially identified as Calvin Stuart, of Freeport, Grand Bahama, the seventh homicide victim for the island this year, 2012.

On Thursday afternoon, detectives at the Central Detective Unit were following significant leads into this incident as they continue their investigations.

About two hours later, at about 12:15 a.m. the police were called to another scene, this one on Bruce Lane, where the body of a 27-year-old man was discovered with gunshot wounds.

The body was examined on the scene by EMS personnel and was unresponsive . The man was transported to the Rand Memorial Hospital where the attending doctor pronounced the victim dead.

Mackey said the man will be officially identified pending notification of next of kin.

She added that police are appealing to persons who were in the area when this incident occurred to call 350-3107/8, 352-9774/5 or 911.

Further, the police are still seeking assistance with a murder which occurred on Saturday, when 33-year-old Kirklyn Lightbourne was reported killed shortly after 4:00 p.m. on East Indianman Road.

He was reportedly shot several times about the body.

The homicide count for the country now stands at 72. Last year the total number of murders in the country was 127.

Mackey said that police has always gotten great support from the community and they are looking forward to their continued support in these matters. She also thanked the press for their assistance.