Agent Patrick Kollie has told police investigators that he mistakenly discharged his firearm while in a fist fight with criminals for which a victim later died.
A Man identify as Valentine Teck Johnson a resident of the Police Academy Community in Paynesville, outside Monrovia died after being shot by Patrick Kollie an officer of the elite Executive Protection Service (EPS) assigned to the Managing director of the National Port Authority (NPA) Bill Tweahway.
According to eye witnesses, Mr. Johnson a student of the STARZ College of Science and Technology in sinkor was shot dead while on his motorbike moving toward the route of the Police Academy junction interception.
Philips Martin, narrated to Liberia Public Radio four unknown men were sitting around the Police Academy Junction by the midnight hours of Sunday, July 3, 2022 when a white Hyundai Jeep with security lights in front of the bonnet stop.
He added that driver called two of the guys who were standing by the road to go to him, for what exactly he Philip couldn’t account, but While the two guys were trying to go toward the driver of the Hynundai vehicle when one of them noticed that the driver was pulling out a gun from the side pocket on his car door. The guy quickly alarmed his three other friends and they fled for their lives, the Eyewitness said.
Martin told the Liberia Public Radio the bullet went straight through the guy’s head and he died instantly.
While passengers on the bike, two in number fell to the ground and sustained minor injuries while the driver of the Hyundai believed to be an operative of the National Security Agency (NSA) drove off the scene, towards the Police Academy- Boulevard route (lover street road at a high speed.
He continues that when Police arrived on the scene thirty minutes later and they found only the shell of the shot but found no weapon on the victim. They quickly secured the scene to wait for the coroner and continue the investigation.
Few hours later, the Liberia National Police announces that they have arrested Alleged Perpetrator Patrick Kollie and is investigating the incident.
Meanwhile, Family of the late Valentine Teck Johnson allegedly killed by the EPS personal ( Patrick Kollie ) is asking for justice, Hence D. Bryan- elder brother of the decease representing the family, said at a press conference described Johnson as humble (motorcyclist) and a student of the STARZ College in Sinkor.
Bryan has meanwhile expressed frustration and sadness over the incident but called on the Liberian National Police to speed up the investigation to allow the perpetrator to faced justice.
‘Mistake shot’
In a rare interview with FrontPageAfrica at the Headquarters of the Liberia National Police Wednesday, Kollie said he mistakenly pulled the trigger while tussling with criminals who attempted to disarm him at Police Academy junction who had set up roadblocks at the area.
He said he had disembarked his vehicle to tell the men whom he suspected of being criminals to remove the blockade at which time one of them believed to be the gang leader ordered the others to have him disarmed.
According to him, while the group of criminals was attacking him, his hand mistakenly pulled the trigger of his arm, thereby discharging one round at his back.
“We were in a fight over my arm when it discharged one round, not knowing that someone was at the back,” he lamented.
Patrick is currently behind bars pending court trial
