Bailey’s Bay players and members gathered at the cricket club last night in a show of solidarity to pray for the victim of Wednesday night’s shooting.

The 40-year-old victim suffered critical injuries when a gunman burst into the club just after midnight and opened fire.

He was rushed to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, and at 7am today was said to remain in a critical condition in the intensive care unit.

“We are all in shock over what occurred here last night,” said youth preacher Lateef Trott, who addressed the gathering as people from across the community joined hands in a circle.

“I know that the Devil was here last night. You would never hear of shooting or anything like that at Bailey’s Bay Cricket Club.”

The theme of the vigil was unity, he told them, and the topic of the night was “a question of who you are” — of what groups they chose to identify with, whether to join together or divide.

“We have the love, joy, peace — the circle of friends and family,” Mr Trott said. “Bermudians from all over the Island come to Bay club every week because they know that when they step on the grounds of Bay, they don’t have to worry about a thing.”

He continued: “This is the lowest point for Bay because we have never experienced this. Today as we join in a circle of friends, hold hands and look up, we are letting the Devil know this was the first and last time that he comes here.”

Club president Arrim Perinchief told The Royal Gazette that he was not present when the gunman entered the bar, but understood that the shooting had been too swift for anyone to react.

“There weren’t a lot of people there — this guy just walked in and walked back out,” he said.

It was “disheartening, that one person could come in and try to destroy one of the very few pillars of the community that we have left”, he said — a sentiment shared across the more than 150 people who gathered near sunset on the club’s terrace.

Thanking them for joining him, Mr Perinchief said: “This show of force is far bigger than what any one man can bring to this club.”

The thoughts and prayers of club’s executive and members were with the victim of “this senseless act”, he said, calling the gunman “heartless” and stressing that the club took “a hard stance against any antisocial behaviour on our property”. The club would continue to “try and improve our infrastructure to aid in these efforts”.

“Once again, the strength of our togetherness is being tested,” Mr Perinchief said in a statement issued later. “We as a country have to face hard truths about guns, violence and anger in our communities and we challenge the rest of our community to stand with us as we seek answers and take action. If anyone has any information, we encourage you to come forward and work with the police to apprehend the suspects. We will not let this event define us.”

Although unprecedented, the latest shooting is not the first incident of violence to take place at the cricket club. In the early hours of June 26, 2013, Verneil Richardson, 21, was fatally stabbed after a fight erupted outside the club.

Adam Leroy King pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was jailed for six years.

Less than five months later, another brawl broke out outside the cricket club between two groups of women that resulted in Colisha Burch, 27, sustaining knife injuries.

Three woman were charged in connection with the fight and sentenced at Supreme Court. Chanel Smith, 26, received a 2½-year sentence for wounding Ms Burch and having a bladed article in a public place.

Her co-accused, Dyshantee Crockwell and Vanessa Blyden, were both given periods of probation for their roles in the fight that occurred on November 9, 2013.

Suzann Roberts-Holshouser, the area MP, told The Royal Gazette: “My heart goes out to the family and friends of the victim and I wish him a speedy recovery.

“This is a very serious matter and I would encourage anyone that may have information about the shooting to please come forward and assist the police in their investigations. The safety of our community depends upon everyone working together.”

Bailey’s Bay is not the only cricket club on the Island to have been the scene of gunfire in the last year: on the evening of Remembrance Day last year, a gunman opened fire at a group of men sitting outside Somerset Cricket Club, injuring four. A 23-year-old man has been charged in connection with the incident and is awaiting trial.

Police have appealed for anyone who may have seen anything suspicious in the area of Bailey’s Bay Cricket Club to contact the main police number at 295-0011.

Alternatively, call the independent and confidential Crime Stoppers hotline at 800-8477.