A high-speed chase through the streets of Nassau yesterday afternoon resulted in an armed robber being shot in the leg and more than 10 vehicles being damaged.
During the chase, the accused hijacked a government vehicle with a child inside.
The car chase between the police and the suspect started after 3pm Tuesday.
According to police press liaison officer Walter Evans a man robbed the Centreville Liquor Store of an undetermined amount of cash.
In his effort to flee the scene quickly, he ran to the vicinity of Bahamas Bus and Truck where he stole a green Plymouth from a woman driver.
Police were alerted. They spotted the suspect in the vicinity of Sears Road.
Police chased the suspect, believed to be a Jamaican, from Sears Road onto Shirley Street and then to Meeting Street.
On Meeting Street the suspect hit a jeep.
Robert DeSwanton, driver of a Terios Daihatsu, whose vehicle was damaged, said: “I saw a vehicle coming up, making speed and he then bounced off the armour truck. He then came straight across into my right rear wheel and spun the jeep round. I heard two shots being fired and I just ducked.”
After hitting the jeep, the suspect jumped out of the green Plymouth and ran to a school in the Augusta Street area. He then stole a government vehicle, licence plate number 1879, which had a child inside.
The chase continued until the suspect drove to the Star Dust beauty supply store area on East Street. Mr Evans said the accused pulled in front of a store in the area, jumped out of the government vehicle and ran in the area of Star Dust, trying to escape the police who were only a few feet behind him.
A store clerk, who wished not to be named, described what she saw.
“I saw a young guy run from East Street and run through a track road on the side of the $20 store shop. I saw CID came out of a car with a gun. He took the gun from his side and fired three shots while running behind the man.”
The attempted escape ended when the man was shot in his right leg: He was taken to hospital where his condition is not considered life threatening.
Police said the child was unharmed and was reunited with its parents.
The police retrieved an imitation firearm.
“This incident today shows the kind of support that the public has given to-the-police and this is the kind of support that we are looking forward to seeing from the public,” said Mr Evans.
By TIFFANY GRANT Tribune Staff Reporter
