Well-known politician Don Saunders gunned down in robbery attempt in Bahamas

March 28 (UPI) -- A well-known Bahamian politician was gunned down Wednesday while fleeing two masked gunmen during an armed robbery, police said.

Don Saunders, a former parliamentarian and the deputy chairman of the Free National Movement Party, died at the scene, officials said. He was 49.

The gunman opened fire on a group of people outside a business establishment in Gambier Village, a neighborhood near Nassau, the capital city, but only Saunders was reported to have been killed.

"It's with a heavy heart that I report the shocking murder of our colleague and friend, FNM Dep. Chair Don Saunders," wrote parliamentarian and FNM party leader Michael C. Pintard in a social media post. "We are still gathering all of the facts as we come to grips with this tragedy. On behalf of my wife Berlice and I, I extend my deepest sympathies to Don's family."

The Royal Bahamas Police Force investigation is ongoing, but reports indicate Saunders was seated outside the establishment with other patrons when two masked gunmen approached them and demanded cash.

"The patrons reportedly panicked and fled for refuge, and as a result, the perpetrators opened fire," the police force wrote in a news release. They said Saunders was shot in the upper torso and "showed no vital signs of life" by the time emergency medical services personnel arrived at the scene.

After they opened fire, the armed suspects stole the victim's car, a gray 2014 Nissan, and fled the area following the shooting, the police said.

Saunders frequently offered pro bono legal assistance and worked for a number of law firms in the Bahamas. He was married with two children

Prime Minister Philip Davis said in an online post that he is "deeply saddened" by Saunders' death.

Police have asked anyone with information related to the crime to report what they know to law enforcement.

The U.S. Embassy in Nassau issued a security alert for the Bahamas, citing ongoing violence in January, citing 18 murders in the capital city in the first few weeks of the year, which "occurred at all hours including in broad daylight on the streets," the embassy said.

Saunders was the 35th murder victim for the year in the Caribbean country.