The Tribune

By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

THE mother of 17-year-old Elron Johnson broke down in tears and could not complete her testimony in the Coroner’s Court yesterday as the inquest into the teen’s police-involved killing after trying to rob the Double Dragon Restaurant on East Bay Street last year continued.

An off-duty officer shot and killed Johnson as he fled the restaurant on June 15, 2023.

Belinda Johnson was excused from the witness stand after becoming emotionally distraught.

Inspector Kristoff Greenslade of the police armoury testified that Inspector Lavaro Moxey, the subject of the inquest, passed his police firearm certification exams.

He said police officers are trained to shoot an armed threat to themselves and the public until that threat is eliminated.

He said officers are trained to hit targets at centre mass, not aim for their extremities.

When shown footage of Johnson crawling on the ground near an abandoned building in an apartment complex, Inspector Greenslade said the threat had not been eliminated because Johnson was still holding a firearm in his right hand.

He noted that footage from earlier that night showed Johnson firing in the direction of an officer.

Johnson eventually stopped shooting, saying: “Don’t shoot, I give up.” However, Inspector Greenslade suggested this could have been a ruse to lure the officer into a trap since the teen still had the gun in his hand.

After watching an injured Johnson drag himself on the ground, the officer commented that the young man had a “fighting spirit”.

He maintained that Johnson posed a threat to the officer while on the ground because he never put the gun away. He said Johnson had enough time to discard the weapon if he intended to surrender.

He called the situation “terrifying”. When court marshall Angelo Whitfield asked if he would have handled things differently, he said he would have discharged more rounds.

In response to a question from a juror, he clarified that for a suspect to surrender, they must discard their weapon.

Sergeant Jonnel Nixon-Adderley of the firearm registry said the deceased was not registered to have a firearm.

She also told Mr Whitfield that the minimum age to legally acquire a firearm in The Bahamas is 18.

During cross-examination from K Melvin Munroe, Inspector Moxey’s attorney, Sgt Adderley confirmed that the deceased had an unlicensed firearm.

Meanwhile, Police Constable Geronimo Parker testified that he went to the scene in response to calls of an armed robbery.

He said he found Johnson lying on the ground in a black hoodie and a grey mask and saw a black pistol and spent bullet casings in the vicinity.

PC Parker said after identifying himself as an officer, the deceased told him: “I won’t shoot anymore. I give up.”

PC Parker’s partner that night, Sergeant Felicia Patton, told acting Coroner Kara Turnquest-Deveaux that she saw EMS cut Johnson’s shirt to find his wounds.

She said the EMS personnel told her they had to quickly take Johnson to the hospital.