Bail set for man accused of having illegal gun at Tutu Park Mall
Published: August 10, 2010
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ST. THOMAS — Police, acting on a tip, removed another gun off the streets Saturday afternoon at Tutu Park Mall and arrested 20-year-old Keith Dawson for having the illegal weapon in his possession.
Police received a radio transmission about 5:30 p.m. that a man dressed in a green camouflage outfit and a black stocking cap was at the mall armed with a gun, Officer Bruce Taylor of the Special Operations Bureau testified at Dawson’s advice-of-rights hearing Monday.
Taylor arrived on the scene minutes later and saw a person fitting the suspect’s description. Taylor followed Dawson and shouted, “Stop, police!” Dawson did not heed the officer’s orders, but Dawson instead ran to his vehicle and hid the gun under one of the seats, Taylor said.
Taylor found a fully loaded Glock inside the vehicle. Police made a check with the firearms bureau on St. Thomas and discovered that Dawson was not a licensed gun holder, Taylor said.
Dawson, a resident of Kirwan Terrace, was then arrested and charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm and failure to report ammunition.
Based on Taylor’s testimony, V.I. Superior Court Magistrate Judge Kathleen Mackay ruled that there was sufficient evidence to move forward on the charges.
“The People note that this the first offense for the defendant,” Assistant Attorney General Claude Walker said, as he addressed the issue of Dawson’s bail. “Nonetheless, there’s concern for the safety of the community. The defendant was carrying an unlicensed, loaded firearm in the mall, where there was a murder less than a month ago on a Saturday, one of the busiest days at the mall. There’s a concern for the shoppers at the mall. There should be some kind of monetary bail.”
However, public defender Kele Onyejekwe said Dawson should be released on his personal recognizance and into the custody of his parents.
“Mr. Dawson may have his own logic that the government may not like that he had a gun to protect himself. The U.S. Constitution says we have the right to carry them. Just because you carry a firearm doesn’t mean you’re a common criminal,” Onyejekwe said.
Mackay deemed Dawson a danger to the community and increased his $35,000 bail.
“The court has its own logic about persons who carry loaded weapons without a license to do so, and the court’s logic is that those persons are a danger to the community,” Mackay said. “In this instance, Dawson is charged with having a gun at Tutu Park Mall. Bail is set at $50,000. Dawson can be released upon posting 10 percent in the form of property or cash.”
Dawson is set to return to court Aug. 26 for his arraignment hearing.
The maximum penalty for illegal gun possession is five years behind bars and a $15,000 fine. On the charge of failure to report ammunition, Dawson could be sentenced up to a three-year prison term and fined $5,000.
— Contact reporter Corliss Smithen at 774-8772 ext. 302 or e-mail csmithen@dailynews.vi.
