By PAVEL BAILEY
Tribune Staff Reporter
pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A FORENSIC pathologist said in the Coroner’s Court yesterday that Aliko Collins, a man police killed in 2017, died from a single gunshot wound to the head.
Collins, 21, was shot and killed by an off-duty officer in Pinewood Gardens.
The inquest into his killing continued before acting Coroner Kara Turnquest-Deveaux.
Now-retired Superintendent Basil Collie, the subject of this inquest, alleged that an armed Collins accosted him on Bamboo Blvd in the early morning hours of February 8, 2017, causing him to fatally shoot him. Dr Caryn Sands said she performed an autopsy on the deceased on February 15, 2017.
She said a bullet entered the deceased’s body from the right side of his head before penetrating his skull and brain. She elaborated that the gunshot wound caused bleeding and bruising to his brain.
Dr Sands said she recovered a deformed copper bullet jacket from the wound path. She said there was no evidence of close-range discharge on the deceased’s body.
Inspector Henrington Curry, a firearm expert, said the eight 9mm firearm bullet casings and fired bullets recovered from the scene of the shooting were fired from the same 9mm Baretta pistol.
The officer said this police-issued weapon was tested and found capable of firing.
Inspector Jake Petty of the police armoury said Superintendent Collie passed his firearm and shotgun certifications in the 80th and 90th percentiles.
Inspector Petty also said that officers are trained to use deadly force if they are faced with a lethal threat.
Under questioning from Coroner Deveaux, Inspector Petty said officers are trained to meet a threat with the same level of force presented to them.
He told the jury he believed deadly force was needed in Collie’s case.
Inspector Nadia Johnson of the firearm licensing unit testified that there were no records of the deceased being registered to have a gun or ammunition.
In previous testimony from an officer who collected evidence from the scene, there was no mention of a gun belonging to the deceased being retrieved from the scene.
K Melvin Munroe represented Superintendent Collie.
Angelo Whitfield marshalled the evidence.
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