A horrific accidental shooting in the Bahamas’ Bimini has left an 8-year-old boy fighting for his life, and a community-driven crowdfunding effort has already generated more than $24,000 in emergency support to help his family cover mounting costs.
Eight-year-old Duran Saunders suffered two life-threatening gunshot wounds to the head on May 23, after his 12-year-old brother found a loaded firearm while the pair played together at a commercial property on King’s Highway in North Bimini. The weapon discharged accidentally, striking Duran above his left eyebrow and at the back left of his head. Emergency responders rushed the injured child to Bimini Community Clinic just after 9 p.m. that same day, where clinical staff immediately contacted local law enforcement. Attending doctors classified Duran’s injuries as severe, prompting an urgent request for airlifted advanced care.
Stepping in to coordinate critical emergency transport was American couple Raul and Yarelys Rodriguez, second homeowners with deep personal ties to the North Bimini community. The pair arranged and funded the emergency air ambulance that transferred Duran to a Fort Lauderdale, Florida, hospital, where he underwent immediate life-saving brain surgery. As of the most recent update, the young patient is listed in stable condition, though he remains in critical care.
In the wake of the accident, the Rodriguezes launched a GoFundMe campaign to support the Saunders family, who now face staggering medical bills and unexpected legal fees related to the incident. The fundraiser set a total goal of $100,000, and in the week following the shooting, 77 individual donors have contributed a cumulative $24,766 – nearly a quarter of the targeted amount – marking a massive outpouring of public support for the struggling family.
On the campaign’s page, the Rodriguezes described the accident as “every family’s worst nightmare,” emphasizing that the 12-year-old responsible for the shooting is not a dangerous criminal, but a child himself traumatized by a tragedy that has permanently altered both boys’ lives. He remains in custody in Bimini following the incident, leaving his family grappling with simultaneous emotional distress over two of their children.
“Their family is now facing unimaginable emotional pain along with overwhelming medical and legal expenses,” Yarelys Rodriguez explained, noting that she and her husband felt compelled to act out of their longstanding care for the Bimini community. The couple has issued a public appeal for continued support, asking for both prayers for the boys and their family and additional donations to help the Saunders family weather their crisis.
“Every donation, no matter the size, can make a difference when people come together to help a family in crisis,” the Rodriguezes said.