One man dead, two officers wounded
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — A man is dead and two officers are wounded after a family dispute escalated into a deadly shootout at a residence in Pinewood Gardens this morning.
According to Commissioner of Police Paul Rolle, a team of officers kicked down a door inside the home after a man who opened fire on his own mother and officers, had barricaded himself inside.
Rolle revealed that one officer was shot in the back as he protected the mother from gunfire during the incident.
The mother had initially called 911 after her son became “belligerent”, according to Rolle, who said two officers on mobile patrol first responded to the residence at Cascarilla Street.
The police commissioner did not provide a timeline for the incident; however, police confirmed the shooting incident to media at 10.46am.
According to Rolle, the mother was engaged in morning prayer when one of her sons came to the home and “began having issues with her and others”.
Several other family members were inside the home, he said.
“[He] seemed to have a problem with her doing her prayers, she asked him to behave and he became belligerent. She in turn contacted 911 and we dispatched a team of officers here to investigate this matter,” Rolle said.
When the officers arrived at the home, Rolle said the mother took them inside and led them to the room where her son was.
However, Rolle said when the mother entered the room, the son produced a handgun and opened fire on the woman and the officers.
He said one of the officers, 3637 Joey Rolle, was shot in the back as he grabbed the mother, protected her and pulled her out of the room.
Rolle said: “[3637 Rolle] was able to get the mother out of the house and secured her. The suspect, her son locked himself in the room, the officers called for assistance.”
“More officers responded to scene,” he continued, “we attempted to get the young man to open the door, which he refused. Officers then breached the door to the room where he was, where he again opened fire on the officers, and this time the officers shot him fatally wounding him.
“A second officer was injured in the process, receiving injuries to his leg. Both officers were taken to hospital where they are being treated by the doctors, we believe from all indication that they should be ok.”
Rolle said: “I just want to commend the bravery of these officers in their action this morning in preserving the life of the woman who called the police but regret that we had to, in the process, take a life, and in the process the person trying to take the life of my officers here this morning.”
Rolle said it was not clear at this time whether the second officer, Corporal 3118 Jarvis Rolle, was shot or sustained injuries as the door was breached.
He said he could not provide further details at this time as preliminary investigations were still underway.
“I don’t have all of that, at this stage this is preliminary,” he said.
“For right now what we are doing is the initial, which is to preserve life, preserve the scene and evidence and I think we’ve done an excellent job of that.”
When pressed for further details concerning the incident, Rolle confirmed that officers attempted to negotiate with the man before kicking in the door.
“We been there for a while trying to get the young man to open the door,” he said, when asked if a negotiator had been used.
