British man Edgar Dart shot dead by robbers in Bahamas as tied-up family watch

Man had tried to remonstrate with gunmen as they raided his mother's home in Emerald Bay, Grand Bahama

Edgar Dart, 56, was killed after he struggled with robbers who broke into his mother's home on Grand Bahama (Connie Ma/Flickr)

A 13-year-old boy was tied up and forced to watch his British father be gunned down by masked intruders during an armed raid on the family home in the Bahamas.

Police said Edgar Dart died after fighting with intruders reportedly armed with a machete and a gun who had burst into the property owned by his mother Joyce Dart, in Emerald Bay, Grand Bahama at 7am local time.

The boy was tied up with other members of his family and Mr Dart, 56, was shot during the ensuing struggle.

The family watched as Mr Dart lay bleeding to death on the floor of his family home and the attackers ransacked the house, allegedly stealing jewellery and other personal items.

Mr Dart had been living in Winnipeg, Canada but is originally from Topsham, near Exeter.

Mr Dart’s brother-in-law Philip Poole said his son, Pip, 29, was also attacked and suffered machete wounds. Mr Poole said the gang threatened Mr Dart's teenage son George and five relatives and tied them up as he lay dying on the floor.

He told The Daily Mail: "Edgar was a tough guy and as soon as the men burst into the house he remonstrated with them. One of the raiders then shot him in the chest.

“The gang then tied everyone up, including his mother Joy and George. I have been told they were forced to look on helplessly as Edgar lay on the floor bleeding to death in front of them.

“It took him around an hour to die and there was just nothing they could do for him.”

The Foreign Office said it was aware of the death of a Briton in the Bahamas and was providing consular assistance.

Police in the Bahamas issued a statement saying: “Police received information that a male was fatally shot at a residence in the Emerald Bay area.

“Officers responded and it was reported that sometime around 7am on Tuesday a male reported that while at home with his family, three masked men armed with a handgun and a machete entered their home and they were robbed.

“An altercation occurred between the assailant and one of the male residents, who was fatally shot.

“Medical personnel responded and the body was pronounced dead at the scene by doctors from the Rand Memorial Hospital.”

The death was the sixth murder on Grand Bahama this year and 30 for all of the Bahamas, an island chain just off the south east coast of Florida.