Relative: He wasn’t homeless; police shot him in his home
Community members say incident stemmed from an accident and could have been avoided
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Relatives of Kirkland Wilson, the 55-year-old man who was gunned down by police on Saturday after a reported exchange of gunfire with officers, are still trying to put together the pieces of what unfolded that day.
Police said shortly after 3pm, officers responded to reports of an elderly woman being assaulted by a man at the Farmer’s Market on Blue Hill Road South, in the Sunshine Park area.
According to reports, the man ran away after the incident and was subsequently chased by a group of people from the community.
Police said when the group approached the man, he produced a shotgun and shot one of the men among the group, who was taken to hospital and last listed in stable condition.
The gunman then reportedly ran into an abandoned building.
Police said when they arrived on the scene and entered the property, the man fired shots at them and there was an exchange of gunfire resulting in his death.
Several videos of the incident quickly made their way around social media.
In one video, several men run away from the property, followed by the sound of gunshots in the background.
Another appeared to show three officers firing multiple shots into the building while standing atop a roof.
One relative, who spoke to Eyewitness News but asked not to be named, said Wilson was not homeless and the Moonshine Drive building where he was killed was his home — a family property.
“Unfortunately, that was not an abandoned building; that’s where he lived,” the relative told Eyewitness News.
“People knew that as the family home. He wasn’t a homeless person.”
That family member called the ordeal “an unfortunate situation”, indicating that the family is not ready to comment on the matter as they await the outcome of the investigations.
Some members of the community said they believe the situation could have been avoided, telling this news organization that the incident stemmed from Wilson, who was well known in the area, accidentally knocking over the elderly woman while being taunted at the market.
Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Candidate for Golden Gates Pia Glover-Rolle said she had met and spoke with Wilson on Thursday while canvassing the area.
Glover-Rolle said he spoke to her about a myriad of issues, including his concerns about the community, and that his commentary was thought-provoking.
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