Three men accused of engaging in shootout with police freed of charges

By Racquel Porter   

 

Three Kingston men accused of engaging the police in a mid-morning shootout three years ago have been freed of gun and ammunition charges.

 

Kyle Henry, of a Rollington Town address, as well as Shamare Miller, a barber and Marquain Coleman, a maintenance worker, both of Harbour Drive in Harbour View, were found not guilty of two counts of shooting with intent, illegal possession of firearm, and illegal possession of ammunition on Tuesday.

 

Allegations were that on March 21, 2021, about 11:00 a.m., a police team was on patrol on Phillips Avenue in Kingston 13 when the police signalled the driver of a brown 2016 Toyota Corolla motor car to stop.

 

The driver complied, but on the approach of the police, he reportedly reversed and collided with a light pole.

 

Three men, including Miller, allegedly exited from the rear of the car and fired at the police and a shootout ensued.

 

A Sig Sauer semi-automatic pistol with a magazine containing five cartridges was reportedly seized and the men were arrested.

 

During a two-day trial the men's attorneys pointed out that the Crown had failed to provide any evidence linking the two men with the three who had reportedly fired at the police.

 

Mr. Miller's attorney, Paul Gentles, argued that, based on the evidence, his client was not properly identified and that the identification evidence was poor as it was taken under difficult circumstances.

 

He also submitted that no gunshot residue was found on his client and that his DNA was not found in the car.

 

Mr. Henry's attorney, Shamar Hanson, argued that there was no spent casing on the scene and the only evidence of any shot being fired was from the police as there was bullet damage to the bonnet of the vehicle his client was in.

 

He also argued that results for the gunshot residue did not confirm that any shot was fired from any of the accused men and that the DNA on the firearm was not linked to anyone.

 

Attorney-at-law Sashanagaye Dennis also represented Mr. Coleman.