Police find home invasion suspect ‘hiding’ in hotel on PI

As of Thursday, October 30, 2014

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

THE 18-year-old suspect wanted for questioning in connection with the home invasion and murder of Blair resident Andre Cartwright was caught by police early yesterday morning “hiding” in a Paradise Island hotel, according to Chief Superintendent Paul Rolle.

Speaking with The Tribune, Mr Rolle said Kevin Andrews was arrested around 10:30am in a hotel room “over the bridge” attempting to evade capture.

Andrews was wanted by police for questioning over the shooting death and attempted robbery of Cartwright, who was killed Tuesday while protecting his elderly parents from three armed assailants pretending to be police officers.

According to reports, Cartwright was at his Blair Estates home around 1:40am Tuesday, with his mother and father, when three men kicked in the front door of the house.

When he heard the noise, Cartwright got his licensed shotgun and went to investigate. He encountered the three suspects, one of whom was armed with a handgun.

There was a brief exchange of gunfire, which resulted in Cartwright being shot multiple times. He died at the scene. One of the suspects was also shot; however, he and the other men escaped in a silver coloured Honda Accord.

Shortly afterwards a woman driver arrived at the Princess Margaret Hospital with a man suffering from gunshot injuries to his chest. He was rushed into surgery and is still listed in critical condition.

Supt Rolle said the woman, of Rocky Pine Road, is still in police custody and is expected to be charged in connection with this matter.

He also refuted claims from residents in Blair Estates that men, pretending to be police officers, have been terrorizing the neighbourhood for weeks.

However, The Tribune understands the Blair neighbourhood watch sent out a memo last week encouraging residents to be on the look out for the “fake cops”.

“I am not aware of any such claim,” Mr Rolle, head of the Central Detective Unit, said when asked about this.

“That is my position at this time. I have asked my officers to check with the police station in the area to see whether or not they have such reports but from where I stand, I am not aware. We are attempting to ascertain the veracity of their claims.”

Residents of Blair are still reeling from the attack.

Several terrified residents contacted The Tribune yesterday afternoon threatening to take matters into their own hands “if something is not done immediately”.

However, Chief Supt Rolle encouraged citizens to contact the police and not attempt “any sort of retaliation.”

iexpressed 10 years, 1 month ago

Another example of good quick police work by our RBPF. A scene where both the victim and suspect are shot should yield more than ample forensic evidence to move this promptly thought he justice system. Let us see the swift justice promised. There is no excuse in this slam dunk case. Remove these terrorist from society. Thank you.

ohdrap4 10 years, 1 month ago

Sir, today, on the this very same page, ACP Bethel declares:

‘Be Vigilant Of Anyone Posing As Police Officers’

Which is what the memo to Blair residents said.

ACP Bethel is late in his statement--comes after a murder perpetrated under the very circumstances--but. Better late than never.

“I am not aware of any such claim,” Mr Rolle, head of the Central Detective Unit, said when asked about this.

You need to make yourself aware, and instruct the officers to get ZNS footage where the victims of the Blair home invasion state the claims and call them in for official statement. If that is the only thing that would cause the police to spring into action.

Another reason why you should make yourself aware id because the news papers also tell of another home invasion on the same night out west under the same circumstances.

If all these citizens are making this stuff up, then they should be warned by the police not to inflict fear on the population.

ThisIsOurs 10 years, 1 month ago

Yep. Very late, they need to put public safety above their PR campaign. Put some billboards on public beaches to let people know the true state of crime.

duppyVAT 10 years, 1 month ago

WHICH HOTEL ON pi WILL HARBOUR CRIMINALS??? DOES THIS MEAN THAT RELATIVES OR FRIENDS OF CRIMINALS ARE NOW USING PI HOTELS TO STASH CRIMINALS??????????

Clamshell 10 years, 1 month ago

Wasn't a silver Honda Accord identified in a number of recent robberies and shootings recently? Are they checking that connection? Or are they "not aware" of any similarities?

Sickened 10 years, 1 month ago

What needs to be done is to put these animals in cages and in public and let the family and other concerned citizens deal with them. Sentencing them to prison is too gentle... these animals need to be slaughtered!!!!

ThisIsOurs 10 years, 1 month ago

Well...that's exactly why family members don't sit on juries...I'm as angry as you. If it were my family I'd want to kill them too. But then I'd end up in prison because I don't know any police officers to bribe to lose evidence...keeping family away from the punishment is a good thing, even though it doesn't feel like it.

proudloudandfnm 10 years, 1 month ago

Arm yourselves. Our police are only interested in a paycheck. It's up to us to protect ourselves. Arm yourselves. Shoot first worry about who it is after. SHOOT FIRST!!!

spaceyg 10 years, 1 month ago

I do not think it is fair to blame the police........ The only problem we have is NOT ENOUGH police. We need to blame our courts for letting these animals back on the streets......a vast majority if not ALL are second/third time offenders........ Lord help us all.

John 10 years, 1 month ago

What y'all fail to realize is this guy is only 18! FIVE years ago he was thirteen years old and the crime rate (murders included) was about the same. TEN years ago when he was 8 years old we were facing the same crime problem. The main difference is criminals are becoming more violent and more daring in their activities The point is that we know the people killed 5 yars ago are still dead and so are those who were murdered ten years ago. But the murderers today are a different set of 18, 19, 20 ,21 year olds. The point is they are a product of a society that continues to create them. And as long as things remain the same in 5 years there will be another set of 18, 19 , 20 and 21 year olds committing crime and murder and ten years after that yet still a different group. The point is the system is broken and until it is fixed the problem will remain the same.

Emac 10 years, 1 month ago

100%

EnoughIsEnough 10 years, 1 month ago

I have to say that while I am extremely disappointed in our legal process, the continued level of crime and the lack of action by both our politicians AND our own communities, I do not think we can continue to blame the police on every occasion. Most people I know say they would never come forward as a witness or want to be a juror because they fear that the suspect would come after them or their families. So, let's give a hand to our police who make very little money, have less than adequate training and skills compared to their counterparts in the US / Europe etc and live on an island 21 x 7 where there are probably only 2 degrees of separation. Not only are our policemen's lives at stake everyday but so are their own family's. i live in fear on this island, i rarely go out after dark unless it's for work, and, like many of my friends and colleagues, I am preparing an exit strategy so that i can leave and never return. But i keep in mind that the policemen and their family's are at risk as much as the rest of us. so let's have a little compassion and help them to do their jobs by being more involved community members and reporting even the little things.

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