Gunmen open firearm accused

Stories by: Ari Shaw

Collin “Cocoa” David, a man who has been on the wrong side of the law for the past eight years, barely escaped with his life on Monday, when gunmen attacked him.

Last Wednesday, David was charged for having in his possession one Canik 9mm semi-automatic pistol, along with 36 rounds of 9mm ammunition, both without a licence.

He was granted $50,000 bail and ordered to report to the Calliaqua Police Station every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.

However, SEARCHLIGHT has confirmed that while David was on his way to report to the station last Monday, a number of men met him and fired multiple shots, chasing him to the station, where he reported the incident.

It is still unclear whether he suffered any injuries.

The attack came five months after he was released from police custody.

The Long Wall man had turned himself in on December 31, 2016, after the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (SVGPF) issued a release stating that David and Jomorni “Small Man” Tash were wanted in connection with an alleged drive-by shooting in Murray Village the night before.

Both surrendered to police and while Tash was released after questioning, David remained in custody until January 3, when he appeared before the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court.

Police had charged him with assaulting his child’s mother, a charge that was withdrawn after the woman told magistrate Bertie Pompey that she did not wish to proceed with the matter.

That incident came three months after David beat an attempted murder charge.

David was sent before the High Court in 2015, charged with the attempted murder of Police Constable 843 Julanie Jack and robbing Cleopatra Wilson, a postal corporation worker of EC$102,000 on June 13, 2013, while being armed with a gun.

He had also beat a murder charge in 2012, related to the shooting of Ashley Seymour Warren, a fruit vendor from Long Wall in 2009.

Seven months after he was freed of that murder charge, David was charged with the murder of Jahjust Devon Steele, who was gunned down in Rose Place on May 5, 2013. David also shared this charge with Tash.

However, both men were cleared of the charge in 2015 when Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Colin Williams decided to discontinue the matter.