The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

A "number of charges" will be levied against a man who shot at police last night in a bid to escape capture, a senior police official said on Friday. 

Chief Superintendent Clayton Fernander, acting officer-in-charge of the Central Detective Unit, said the suspect will be charged with "a number of firearm charges" and also with endangering the lives of the officers involved in last night's shooting. 

None of the officers were harmed in the incident, which took place in the Arawak Avenue and Campbell Street area, he said.

Chief Supt Fernander said police will also press charges against the suspect for damaging a police vehicle during the exchange of gunfire. He added that the suspect, who ended up being shot by police in the echange, was on bail for armed robbery and was being electronically monitored at the time of the incident.

That incident was one of three overnight shootings that resulted in five people being hospitalised, including the suspect that shot at police.

In the first incident, around 10.30pm, two males were reportedly sitting on a porch at a home on Peach Street, when a champagne-coloured Nissan Note pulled up with three men inside who fired several shots at them before speeding off. 

One of the males was shot to the left thigh, the other to the left leg. The victims were transported to hospital, where they remain in stable condition. 

A few minutes later, police were in the Arawak Avenue and Campbell Street area searching for the suspects involved in the shooting, when they saw two males fitting the description running. 

One of the men turned towards the officers and fired several shots. The officers returned fire, hitting one of the men who fell to the ground. However, the other male was able to elude the officers. 

The wounded suspect was transported to hospital, where he remains in stable condition. 

Chief Supt Fernander told The Tribune that the suspect was under heavy police guard at the hospital. However, he said the individual faces a number of charges as a result of the ordeal.

"Charges are pending," he said. "The investigation is still ongoing but charges are pending.

"He tried to kill the officers by shooting at the officers," he added. "So there'll be a number of firearm charges. Our police vehicle, the people's vehicle, was also damaged in that exchange. So we are looking at a number of firearms-related charges and for damaging the police vehicle as well." 

In the second incident, shortly after 11pm, a man was playing a game of checkers with two other men on the porch of a home at White's Lane off Cordeaux Avenue, when two masked men armed with a handgun attempted to rob them. 

The victim attempted to run and was shot in the buttocks. The suspects then fled on foot. The victim was transported to hospital, where he remains in stable condition. 

In the final incident, shortly after midnight, a man was parked in his white Honda Civic north on Thompson Boulevard, when two masked men armed with a handgun approached his vehicle and fired several shots at him before fleeing on foot. The victim was shot to the right side of his back and his left leg. 

The victim was transported to hospital, where he remains in stable condition. 

Chief Supt Fernander said police have no updates on the latter two incidents but were "following some good leads".

However, he said that despite the first incident that endangered the lives of a few officers, police would continue their aggressive, albeit dangerous, fight against crime.

"Officers have families as well and they are out there trying to protect the good citizens of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas and we will do just that," he said. "We will not back down. We will continue to go after these culprits who are wreaking havoc in the communities. We will continue to go after them."