Bahamas police whistleblower Sylvens Metayer shot dead in Florida apartment during Facebook Live

A whistleblower from the Bahamas who exposed alleged corruption among a high-ranking police officer in the Caribbean nation was shot dead in his Florida apartment on Monday during a Facebook livestream.

According to NBC Miami, Sylvens Metayer was already an hour and 20 minutes into his social media post complaining about the living situation in the United States when a hail of bullets flew through the house in Hollywood, Florida.

The video shows at least seven shots fired as Metayer fell to the ground and was apparently hit.

“I got shot in the face here,” Metayer said after picking up his phone and walking into another room. “Hey, y’all are sending an assassination attempt on me.”

A baby’s crying can be heard in the background as the man’s girlfriend speaks into an emergency transmitter, saying Metayer has been shot and they need an ambulance.

Metayer showed the wound on his left cheek and the bloodstains on his shorts.

“They got me, brother,” he says before first responders arrive.

“It looks like he was grazed in the face and foot, and maybe he was grazed in the back as well,” an officer is heard saying.

Metayer is known in the Bahamas for his Facebook account, where he comments on conspiracy theories and allegations about the island nation.

According to the Miami Herald, he recently spoke out against the Chief Superintendent of the Royal Bahamas Police Force, Michael Johnson, who allegedly negotiated bribes with a wanted criminal.

Metayer published Johnson’s alleged voice notes, fueling public distrust of the police, the Nassau Guardian reported.

The footage shows a man, presumably the wanted suspect, negotiating with two others about turning himself in and the costs of his release after questioning, the media outlet said.

The RBPF’s security and intelligence branch launched an investigation into Johnson’s alleged corruption and granted Johnson paid leave.

“We have heard the recordings of the phone calls on social media and the investigation is already underway to determine their reliability, find out when, where and by whom they were made, identify any voices and follow up on clues in the ambient noise,” Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander said, according to the outlet.

“We are fully aware that this case undermines public confidence in the Royal Bahamas Police Force,” Fernander said.

Fernander assured that the investigation would be “independent, impartial and fair” and that the case would “not disappear through the back door”.

It’s not clear how Metayer obtained the voice messages, but the shooting occurred hours after Fernander announced the investigation.

Law enforcement agencies from the US and Great Britain are assisting the SIB in the investigation, the newspaper said.

Metayer told first responders he was doing a live stream as the bullets ripped through them.

“The FBI knows I’m here. I’m in trouble with the government of the Bahamas. I was in the newspaper today, so they probably sent someone to kill me,” he says.

Metayer was eventually picked up from the ground and taken to the hospital where his injuries were treated. The camera remained on and the live stream continued for another hour.

NBC Miami reported that investigators have not released a motive or suspects in connection with the shooting.