By PAVEL BAILEY
Tribune Court Reporter
pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A MAN was denied bail yesterday in connection with the shooting of an off-duty policeman during a botched armed robbery attempt at John Chea, Wulff Road, last week.
Latoriano Mackey, 18, faced Magistrate Samuel McKinney on five charges in connection with the incident. These include attempted murder, attempted armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, possession of an unlicensed firearm and possession of ammunition.
According to police reports, on October 4 at John Chea and Son #2 on Wulff Road and Mt Royal Avenue, Mackey with another man allegedly held up the store armed with a black and red 9mm pistol. The gun’s serial number had been erased.
When P/C 3907 Horace Albury approached the two masked men, one of whom wore a ski mask, for acting suspiciously, they reportedly fired at him. This resulted in the officer being shot twice in his left arm, and then in his abdomen.
The wounded P/C Albury managed to crawl to the back of the store where EMS rescued him. By this time the suspects had fled the scene.
When Mackey was later arrested in connection with this incident he was accused of having the same firearm used in the shooting in his possession as well as five unfired rounds of .9mm ammunition.
Due to the gravity of the offence, Mackey was not required to enter a plea in court. He was informed that his matter would proceed to the Supreme Court by way of a voluntary bill of indictment (VBI).
Magistrate McKinney further told the accused that while he lacked the jurisdiction to grant him bail, the accused had the right to apply for it in the higher court.
Until bail is granted, Mackey will be remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDCS).
Mackey’s VBI is slated for service on December 16.
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