By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A MAN who attempted to “chop” police with a machete was shot and killed by officers in Abaco on Wednesday night, officials said yesterday.

According to a police report, shortly after 10pm on Wednesday, officers were responding to a dispute involving neighbours in the Dundas Town community.

“Upon their arrival, the officers were attacked by a male armed with a machete who attempted to chop them,” police said.

“The officers, being in fear for their lives, discharged their service weapons in the direction of the male, hitting and fatally wounding him.

“Prior to the arrival, two people were injured and taken to hospital where they were later treated and discharged.”

Police did not release the victim’s identity. However, he has been identified by friends and family members as 42-year-old Adrian Wright.

A close relative conceded that Wright had “challenges,” but still remembered him as a loving person.

The relative said: “Everyone has their challenges and Adrian certainly has his share, but despite the challenges, he was a loving, caring person who respected his elders. He was hardworking and would help anyone in need.

“He was not eloquent with words as some may be, but he used his actions to express how he felt…We are torn apart at this tragedy and will try to pick up the pieces as the way he died was no way to go. But, we want the world to know he was loved.”

The Tribune understands that Wright, who is originally from New Providence, had recently relocated to Abaco to find work on the island to assist with the rebuilding efforts following Hurricane Dorian.

“(Wright’s) roommate brought him here to Abaco to get some work…These guys have been fixing my roof and house after the hurricane and they just stuffed my roof before this COVID-19 came up,” said Dundas Town resident, Cay Mills. “So, I know them personally.”

Noting that residents are still healing from the trauma of Dorian, Mr Mills said the incident has left some members in the tight-knit community in shock.

He said: “My friend that was there, his mother is 89-years-old and that disturbed her so much (she said) her heart rate sped up because she was close to seeing it and she heard the gunshots and then she heard that someone got killed.

“She said she couldn’t sleep all night.”

Mr Mills said the incident has also heightened the level of fear and distrust towards police on the island.

He said: “People in Abaco have been afraid of police since the hurricane because they’ve been treating Abaco bad.”

He claimed there have been other confrontations with police and people on Abaco recently.

“How is that going to ease the community and people trust in police, no matter what the problem is? We ain’t used to people getting killed,” he said.

After Hurricane Dorian in early September, the government deployed a number of law enforcement officers to Abaco to address the safety concerns on the island.

However, in recent weeks, residents have been complaining about the officers abusing their rights and using harsh tactics to intimidate locals.

The issue resurfaced yesterday following Wright’s death, with some people even calling for the immediate removal of non-local officers.

In fact, one Abaconian wrote on Facebook yesterday: “We never had all these police involved incidents . . .They making Abaconions look like criminals, but we don’t do like that over here. From they start doing these swift rotations with officers it’s been hell. Please send our old officers back.”

Wright’s death marks the fifth police-involved killing for the year, according to this newspaper’s records. However, it is the first to have transpired on a Family Island. In March, police shot and killed Cedric Thompson, 75, after he allegedly pointed a gun at an officer at the Fox Hill Police Station.

Thompson was at the station as part of his bail conditions for a grievous harm matter, according to previous reports.

Police said Wednesday’s matter will be handed over to the coroner for further investigation.