Monrovia — EPS agent Patrick Kollie who is under police interrogation for shooting and killing Valentine Johnson at about 1:00 am in the Police Academy, Paynesville, has expressed regrets over the incident, saying the shooting was not intentional.
In a rare interview with FrontPageAfrica at the Headquarters of the Liberia National Police, 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.
The deceased, according to the report, was riding a motorbike along with two other unidentified people when Agent Kollie allegedly mistakenly pulled the trigger.
Kollie told FrontPageAfrica that the discharge of the arm was never intentional as being speculated in the public.
He noted that he had never known Victim Valentine T. Johnson before.
Agent Kollie noted that as a trained security officer, it had never been his intention to pull an arm towards anyone for no reason. He stressed that the incident occurred mistakenly as a result of an attack from those he believed to be criminals.
"It was a mistake and I regret the accident and it was never intentional and I apologize to the bereaved family," he told FrontPageAfrica.
Patrick Kollie was assigned to the Managing Director of the National Port Authority, Mr. Bill Twehway, before the commissioning of the crime.
The Executive Protection Service is an elite group of armed men and women providing security for the President and all VIPs in the Executive. They also provide security for foreign guests visiting the country.
Meanwhile, the EPS has disrobed Agent Kollie to allow a smooth police interrogation.
The EPS stated in a press statement:
"The Executive Protection Service (EPS) extends its sincere condolences to the bereaved family of the late Valentine T. Johnson who died as a result of a shooting incident involving one of its agents, Patrick Kollie. The incident reportedly took place on the Police Academy road during the early hours of July 4, 2022.
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"Upon the order of Director Trokon N. Roberts, Agent Patrick Kollie has, with immediate effect, been disrobed and turned over to the Liberia National Police for investigation."
At the same time, the National Port Authority has expressed grief over the unfortunate incident.
The NPA in a press release stated that while it regrets the situation, Agent Patrick Kollie was not on duty with MD Twehway when the incident occurred between the hours of 1 AM on Monday, July 4, 2022, around the Police Academy Area 'as reported by the Police'.
According to the release, the NPA Boss had gone on his routine weekend visit to River Cess while Agent Patrick Kollie was in Monrovia based on an excuse to attend to a personal engagement.
