Gang leader’s suspected killer found shot dead

A family member of Rolando Smith in tears after hearing of his death.

As of Wednesday, September 3, 2014

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

THE man accused of killing the reputed Fire ‘n Theft gang leader Julian “Heads” Collie last year was shot multiple times and killed early yesterday morning during a drive-by shooting near a pre-school.

Police have identified the victim as 38-year-old Rolando Smith of Bel Air Estates.

Police said the victim was one of four men shot by a group of men in a Honda Accord during a drive-by shooting in Montel Heights. Police suspect the same gunmen terrorized several inner city communities late Monday night and early Tuesday morning leaving two other men with gun shot wounds.

The latest shooting took place around 12:30am Tuesday.

Supt Paul Rolle, Officer in Charge of the Central Detective Unit, said police were called to the scene of a shooting on Ethel Street in the Montel Heights area. When officers arrived at the scene they discovered a man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was taken to hospital where he is listed in critical condition.

Supt Rolle said officers were not informed that another man was shot until 7am Tuesday, when the owner of a pre-school discovered the body of man, lying a pool of blood on the schools’ front lawn.

“We got a call around 12.30am that gunshots were heard in the Roland Street area,” Supt Rolle said. “When officers arrived, they spoke with a (person) who reported sitting on a wall along with three other males when several persons pulled up in a grey Honda. Two of those persons exited and shot at them. All of the males ran in different directions,” he said.

“One of the males was taken to the hospital. We received another call from the owner of a local pre-school, who said when she went to open up she saw the body of male lying in the lawn in front of the building. Emergency Services responded and pronounced him dead on the scene. Police have determined that he was one of the men who was sitting on the wall, during the drive-by shooting.”

As police processed the crime scene yesterday, anguished relatives gathered nearby and expressed shock over the killing.

Smith’s mother, Anita King, was visibly upset and told reporters that her son had been shot before.

She also said her son was a “loving, kind-hearted” person and that he had two young children. She also called on the government to deal with crime and “hang” murderers.

Smith was out on bail for the April 2013 murder of Julian “Heads” Collie.

Collie, who was believed to be the leader of the Fire ‘n Theft gang, was gunned down in a hail of bullets at Millar’s Heights near Carmichael Road. Collie, 34, was a resident of Pryce Street in Nassau Village.

According to police reports, Collie and another man had just arrived at his girlfriend’s home when three men pulled up behind them in a silver coloured Honda Civic. Two of the men got out of the car and opened fire.

The victims then ran, but were pursued by the gunmen who continued to fire their weapons. The Tribune understands that Collie was shot 17 times in his body. He later collapsed at the scene.

Police are also investigating two other shooting incidents they believe to be related to Smith’s murder.

In the first incident, around 8pm on Monday, police said a man was walking on Baillou Hill Road near Brougham Street, when a man in a grey coloured Honda shot him in the left side of his body and sped off.

The victim was taken to hospital, where he is in stable condition.

In the second incident, which occurred a few minutes later, a man was walking on Hay Street, when a man in a grey Honda shot him in his ankle and sped off. The victim was taken to hospital, where he is in stable condition.

Anyone with information on any of these shootings is asked to contact police at 911 or 919, the Central Detective Unit at 502-9991 or crime stoppers anonymously at 328-TIPS.

Sickened 10 years, 3 months ago

"She also said her son was a “loving, kind-hearted” person and that he had two young children. She also called on the government to deal with crime and “hang” murderers."

I'm confused... is she saying that she would prefer for her murder 'accused' son to be hanged???

BDN 10 years, 3 months ago

I was thinking the exact same thing, Sickened.

Cobalt 10 years, 3 months ago

I'm really sick of these irresponsible mothers raising and farming these little criminals then attempting to portray them as decent, kind-hearted citizens whenever they're gunned down or arrested!!! Where are the fathers of these young men????? Did this mother ever teach her son that when you live by the gun you die by the gun???? Did she ever teach him that when you take the life of another then you must render your own??? Did she ever teach this boy that bad choices eventually lead to death and destruction???

It seems that the only skill that some of these worthless mothers possess is how to lay down, spread their legs, and breed more criminals!!! I wish that I could say that I'm sorry for her loss. But I'm not.

killemwitdakno 10 years, 3 months ago

males in the community who observe problem sons without a male figure need to step in to help handle or get them to independence . there's mother and sisters living in homes afraid of their sons and their crowds.

JohnDoe 10 years, 3 months ago

I suspect she is saying that the person or persons who murdered her "loving, kind-hearted" son should be hanged but not her good son, who had two young children to live for.

GrassRoot 10 years, 3 months ago

surprised he had only two children, very un-Bahamian.

PKMShack 10 years, 3 months ago

and the crime rate goes higher almost daily. Bell said we getting serious on crime now. Who gets it tonight is the question. Someone reloading the gun right now and another mother, father, brother, sister etc will be killed leaving others to cry for the cameras

Greentea 10 years, 3 months ago

Bell is a politically ambitious joke. i thought he was serious but.....

islandport3 10 years, 3 months ago

Bloody city bloody towns bloodied dead bodies painful tears bitter sounds. LORD JESUS.

ChaosObserver 10 years, 3 months ago

Well, if we plan this out well enough, we can have all the "innocent" criminals and "loving kind-hearted" criminals killing themselves off in no time...why wait for the justice system....plus we can rid ourselves of this infection in bahamas.....

concernedcitizen 10 years, 3 months ago

@chaos ,thats what i say when people talk about the death penalty being some kind of cure , they are killing one another faster then any court could hang them and thats not slowing murder down ..

ChaosObserver 10 years, 3 months ago

the courts here are a big joke! Looked upon by other countries as a joke. See my our own people as a joke. Viewed by criminals as a joke!...they should just close the courts down, and start giving out speeding tickets or something...would have the same impact....and without the cost and charade they playing on Bahamians....

Sickened 10 years, 3 months ago

I've been re-thinking my position on granting bail to murderers. I think the judges are on to something. If we let murderers out on bail then they will be slaughtered, as they ought to be.

In order to speed up the process, the government should think about giving the public access to the ankle bracelet tracking system so that these sick murderers can be tracked down more easily. I would love to have my phone alert me when there is a criminal (out on bail) in my immediate vicinity and an app that shows me his exact location.

antionette 10 years, 3 months ago

Being casarated is probably not a choice being that off overcrowding so that's probably why the system is letting them out on bail. Knowing that it will save them ( goverment ) from yrs in the system because they will eventually be killed on the street.

Altalk 10 years, 3 months ago

I guess true making many "hits" he became the bred winner in the family. Do insurance pay off for being a hit maker?

Altalk 10 years, 3 months ago

Guess he was the bred winner of the family.

Tommy77 10 years, 3 months ago

It never ends.http://s04.flagcounter.com/mini/kfoW/bg…" style="display:none">

ThisIsOurs 10 years, 3 months ago

and told reporters that her son had been shot before.*

was a loving, kind-hearted” person Sad thing is, he probably was -when he was around her. We have a lot of demon possessed, psychopathic, bipolar people running around in this country. Watch any gangster movie, adapted real life or fiction. The mafia Don is always charming and generous in the public eye, they give away tvs, help old women cross the street, give school supplies to disadvantaged kids, pull up a big truck with tvs and fridges and hand them out to needy people. Give bums on the street 100 hundred dollar bills. Give young boys in the neighbourhood tips to clean their car. Very charming and clean cut. Then in the darkness they blow peoples brains out.

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