By: Spokesman Newsroom
BASSETERRE, St.Kitts (Friday 7th September 2018)–Wanted fugitive Vincent Taylor was killed following a shootout with police in a building located in Sandy Point last week, and while the local authorities say tracking him down was due to the public’s help, on the flipside, however, police are looking to charge individuals who harboured him.
Speaking at a press conference held on Saturday 1st September at the Police Training Complex in Newtown, Commissioner of Police Ian Queeley commended members of the public “who came forward in an overwhelming way to offer support and have carried out their civic duties in assisting the police in this matter.”
“We would not have found him without your help. You have given police renewed hope. Hope that there are still many who are on the side of law and order,” he added.
In addressing those who helped Taylor in keeping low, the top cop said: “…while there are those coming forward to assist the police to find the fugitive, there were also others who were helping him to evade the police. The community he was found in is a close-knit, well-populated community. We know that there are persons who would have seen him and said nothing and that there are those who were harbouring him, feeding him, providing shelter, assisting him with travel etc.”
Commissioner of Police Ian Queeley speaking at last week’s press conference
He then outlined: “Allow me to remind everyone that harbouring fugitives is a criminal offense and we are looking into who we can lay such charges against in this matter. Helping him means that you were willing to see another establishment being robbed at gun point or another individual hurt. We should all be on duty.”
After living as a fugitive for over six (6) months, Taylor-shot dead two days after his 38th birthday-, was wanted in connection with two crimes to the public’s knowledge- the August 2018 shooting death of 44-year-old Police Sergeant Leon ‘Shabba’ Powell and a December 2017 armed robbery at a supermarket in Sandy Point.
Sgt. Powell was shot dead on Saturday 18th August at about 1 AM during an armed robbery at his bar located in his home community of Newton Ground.
As investigation unfolded and more information became available, Taylor became the prime suspect. At the scene where Taylor was killed, Sgt. Powell’s issued weapon-which was used to fatally wound him (Sgt. Powell)-was found.
Results from ballistic works carried out on the bullets and other shell casings found on the scenes “indicate that it was his (Sgt. Powell) weapon that was relieved of at the time that was used to kill him.”
A police officer was wounded to his shoulder during that recent gun fight.
Police records also show that the pistol used by Taylor to shoot and injure that officer was the department’s firearm issued to Sgt. Powell.
COP Queeley revealed that on Friday 31st August, members of the special joint team conducting a search operation for the wanted man, and acting on information, the team cordoned off an area in Bouncing Hill which had several premises within the cordon and proceeded to search the area.
The deceased fugitive, also known by three nicknames-Shungy, Bungo and Lyah, had two addresses namely Sandy Point and McKnight on the wanted poster.
Additionally, he was described to be armed and dangerous.