The Tribune

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

A MOST wanted suspect was shot and killed by police officers in a cemetery early yesterday morning, moments after he impersonated a police sergeant, committed a string of armed robberies and led police on a high-speed chase in the Carmichael Road area, police said.

Four suspects have been fatally shot by police since last Friday.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Stephen Dean said police were hunting the Haitian-Bahamian suspect, who has been identified as 32-year-old Rony Jean, for several months in connection with a number of armed robberies.

He said one of Jean’s latest victims was a sergeant on the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF). According to ACP Dean, the suspect held the officer at gunpoint and robbed him of his official police uniform last week.

ACP Dean said the suspect was wearing the uniform when he robbed three people, in three separate incidents Wednesday morning, before leading police on a high-speed chase that ended in Spikenard Cemetery off Cowpen road.

“Shortly after 10am, a man was on Carmichael Road west when he was robbed of his Cherokee jeep by a man armed with a handgun,” ACP told reporters at the cemetery.

“Moments later, a lady was on Carmichael Road, not too far from the first robbery, when she was held up and robbed of cell phones,” ACP Dean said.

“Police were notified and sent out an APB (all points bulletin) for this vehicle and police converged in the area in great numbers, with a view of locating this suspect. A short while later, we got another report that a man was robbed of a Honda CRV. As a result, the officers on patrol spotted the vehicle in the Spikenard Road area.

“A chase ensued and the suspect continued to accelerate at a high rate of speed. The vehicle eventually crashed into the gate at the Spikenard graveyard. The suspect came out of the vehicle and fired at police and ran. Police returned fire and the suspect was struck several times. Police were able to detain him and he was rushed to hospital.”

ACP Dean said police recovered a handgun from the scene, which investigators believe the suspect was carrying.

“Police can confirm that this suspect is one of our most wanted suspects,” he added.

Jean died in hospital shortly after the incident.

ACP Dean said Jean was a “very dangerous man” and police are “satisfied” now that he is off the streets and unable to harm any more citizens. He also sent a warning to other criminals who “insist on wreaking havoc” on the streets of the Bahamas.

“He caused a lot of harm to a lot of women and men and stole a lot of vehicles and so police are satisfied. Our work paid off and we can be relieved that this dangerous suspect is in custody,” ACP Dean said before it was reported that the suspect had died in hospital.

“We also want to use this opportunity to let other people know, who continue to commit crimes despite our warning that police are out in great numbers and we will continue to patrol the streets of New Providence and the Bahamas, we will continue to hunt down these dangerous suspects who don’t care what happens to them and are hell bent on committing crime. We are asking members of the public, do not condone these suspects, do not hide them in your houses, do not be friends of these persons, if we find them with you, you will be arrested also.”

On Sunday, officers shot and killed two armed robbery suspects after the pair, with a third suspect, led officers on a high-speed chase through the Claridge Road area.

Police said the suspects opened fire after their car crashed into a pole, leading officers to return gunfire and fatally wound two of the gunmen.

Last Friday police shot and killed Nixon Vixamar one day before his 31st birthday while in the process of arresting him at his Gamble Heights home.

At the time, ACP Dean said that officers visited a home at Sunrise Road off Baillou Hill Road South shortly after 6am Friday to find a man who was wanted for several complaints of assault.

“When police attempted to arrest the suspect,” ACP Dean said, “he began to resist violently and was subsequently shot. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene.”

Last week Wednesday, a female suspect was shot and taken to hospital after she led officers on a high-speed chase through the inner city before crashing on Wulff Road.

Police said the woman was shot as the officers were attempting to blow out her car’s tyres. However, her injuries were not life threatening.

ACP Dean said police cannot afford to be “sympathetic” towards criminals and if a suspect shoots at police, officers will retaliate, not only for the safety of the police, but also for the public’s safety.

According to The Tribune’s records, there have been six fatal police shootings so far this year.