By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

OFF-DUTY police shot and killed a man who officers said “brandished” a gun at them outside a nightspot in the Fire Trail Road area on Sunday.

The deceased is the third person killed by police this month and one of two men shot by police on the weekend. Another man was wounded in Abaco by police on Saturday, however his injuries were not fatal.

On the scene of the New Providence incident, police press liaison officer, Assistant Superintendent Audley Peters explained what led to the shooting.

“Shortly after 8pm this evening (Sunday), three off-duty officers were at a business establishment on Fire Trail Road when they had occasion to warn another patron of his behaviour,” he said.

“That patron was warned and he left the business establishment in his vehicle at a high rate of speed. He returned once, left. He returned again and left. He returned a third time. This was when the officers noticed him exiting his vehicle brandishing his firearm and as a result of them being in fear for their lives, the officers discharged their service weapon in the direction of the vehicle, fatally wounding the male.

“Subsequently a firearm was discovered. The coroner visited the scene (and) she was appraised of the facts. This matter is going to be investigated and forwarded to the coroner’s office where a coroner’s inquest will happen into this incident.”

Regarding the shooting in Abaco on Saturday, police said officers from Marsh Harbour Police Station executed a search warrant on a residence in Dundas Town at around 10pm.

As the officers arrived, several people were seen leaving the building; however, one of the men leaving the residence ran towards an officer and pointed a firearm at him, police said. The officer then shot him in the leg.

The injured man was taken to the Marsh Harbour Clinic for medical attention. A black .45 pistol with 10 live rounds of ammunition was recovered from the scene, police said.

This comes after a 28-year-old wanted murder suspect was shot and killed on December 21 in Grand Bahama, ending a two-week island-wide manhunt.

Police said the suspect pointed a gun at officers.

The deceased is believed to be Drexton Dominique Belony, who was wanted for the shooting death of a 17-year-old male resident of Pinder’s Point on December 3.

Belony was also being sought for another shooting incident which occurred early last week in Freeport, several hours before he was discovered and shot dead by officers in the Hunters area.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Stephen Rolle confirmed the Police Control Room received a report about a police-involved shooting in Hunters shortly after 7am on the day in question.

He said officers were on inquiries in the settlement when they saw the suspect emerge from a residence.

“Upon seeing the officers, the suspect produced a firearm and pointed it in the direction of the officers. As a result, the officers, being in fear for their lives, produced their service weapons and discharged several rounds in the suspect’s direction, fatally wounding him,” ASP Rolle said.

EMS was called to the scene and found no signs of life.

ASP Rolle said officers recovered a loaded 9mm pistol from the deceased.

Another man died on Saturday, December 18, hours after he was shot by police in New Providence.

Police said that officers were called to an apartment complex on Bowe Avenue, Montel Heights shortly after 10am on December 18, for a man who was said to be in possession of a gun.

Police said the suspect “reached” for a weapon in his waistband as a responding officer approached him. The officer, fearing for his life, shot the suspect, police said.

Police also said a gun was recovered from the suspect.

The deceased in that matter has been identified as Nelson Vincent. He died in hospital.

On December 14, police shot a juvenile in the buttocks who they say led them on a car chase which ended on Cox Way and tried to reverse his vehicle in their direction.

At last report, that suspect was in stable condition in hospital.