Bahamian whistleblower shot during Facebook Live stream in Florida apartment
A Bahamian whistleblower, known for exposing alleged corruption involving a high-ranking police official in the Caribbean nation, was shot during a Facebook Live stream inside his Florida apartment on Monday.
Sylvens Metayer was over an hour into his live broadcast, discussing living conditions in the United States, when a barrage of bullets tore through his Florida home, according to NBC Miami. The video captured at least seven shots as Metayer dropped to the ground, seemingly struck by the gunfire.
“I got shot in the face”
“I got shot in the face, right here,” Metayer said, as he grabbed his phone and moved to a different room. “Hey, y’all sending a hit out on me.” A baby’s cry could be heard in the background as Metayer’s girlfriend spoke to a 911 dispatcher, requesting an ambulance for the injured man.
Metayer showed his viewers the wound on his left cheek and the blood stains on his shorts. “They got me, bro,” he said before first responders arrived. An officer at the scene could be heard saying, “It looks like he got grazed in the face, shot in the foot, and looks like maybe he got grazed in the back too.”
Famous for exposing corruption
Metayer is well-known in the Bahamas for his Facebook account, which delves into conspiracy theories and allegations involving the island nation. He recently accused Royal Bahamas Police Force Chief Superintendent Michael Johnson of negotiating bribes with a wanted criminal, according to the Miami Herald.
Metayer released alleged voice notes of Johnson, which reportedly caused public distrust in the police force, as reported by the Nassau Guardian. The recordings feature a man, believed to be the wanted suspect, discussing with two others the terms of his surrender and the cost of his release after questioning.
Investigation launched
The Security and Intelligence Branch of the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) has launched an investigation into Johnson’s alleged corruption, placing him on paid leave. “We have heard the recordings of phone calls on social media recordings and the investigation is already underway to determine the reliability; to understand when, where, and by whom they were made; identify all voices; and explore clues in the surrounding sounds,” Commissioner of Police Clayton Fernander said, according to the Nassau Guardian.
Metayer’s shooting has raised concerns about the safety of the whistleblower and the lengths to which those implicated in corruption may go to silence them. The investigation into the shooting is ongoing.