By RICARDO WELLS
Tribune Staff Reporter
aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
A FORENSIC pathologist has confirmed that the 20-year-old man fatally shot by police in 2015 died from gunshot wounds to his torso and foot.
Dr Caryn Sands said the trajectory of Deangelo Bodie Wallace's wounds were reflective of someone “moving” when hit as she gave testimony before Coroner Jeanine Weech-Gomez.
Dr Sands said Bodie Wallace, who is known as “Fingers” on the street, died from a gunshot wound to his back that travelled “back to front, right to left,” before exiting his left abdomen; and the top of his foot.
The deviations between the entrance and exit areas of each of the wounds inflicted on Mr Bodie Wallace further suggests, she said, that some degree of movement played a role.
Addressing specifically the bullet that struck the deceased in his back, Dr Sands explained that it travelled in a downward trajectory along his right psoas muscle, spine - which was severed, the inferior vena chamber and bowels before exiting from his left abdomen.
This, she said, reflects that the deceased had contorted his body in some way during the time he was shot.
Dr Sands said that there was no evidence of close range discharge on any of the wounds sustained by Mr Bodie Wallace, suggesting he was shot from a distance greater than two to three feet.
In testimony Tuesday, Police Superintendent Dereck Butler, whose unit was first to arrive at the scene, testified that his men encountered Mr Bodie Wallace and three others as the group attempted to chase down an unarmed man.
During the encounter, Supt Butler and his men - Assistant Superintendent of Police Alexander Pierre, Detective Constable 2790 Jara McPhee, Sergeant 771 Kenneth Greenslade and Police Constable 2823 Jahmal Rolle - were separated.
Despite this, Supt Butler described hearing an intense exchange of gunfire between his men and Mr Bodie Wallace’s group. He said by the time he reconnected with his team, they had arrested two men and Bodie Wallace had been fatally shot.
Supt Butler and several scene investigators have testified that the exchange of gunfire moved along various locations around the Fort Fincastle and Mason’s Addition area.
According to reports, officers were responding to gunfire in the area of Fort Fincastle and Mason’s Addition when they encountered Bodie Wallace, with three other men.
“Quick action by police has resulted in the arrest of two suspects who opened fired at them and the fatal shooting of another suspect who also opened fire on police,” a police report noted.
Police said they recovered a Glock pistol from the deceased, and an AK-47 assault rifle that was dropped by one of the men who was arrested at the scene.
The officers are represented by attorney K Melvin Munroe, while Anishka Missick sits as marshal in the inquest.
The inquest continues next week.
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