Hearing Continues For Man Accused Of Shooting Cop During Raid
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Another half-dozen or so witnesses are scheduled to take the stand Tuesday in a second day of testimony in a hearing to determine whether bond should be granted to a man who reportedly shot a North Miami Beach police officer during a raid.
On Monday, North Miami Beach Police Officer Lino Diaz recalled the moments in which Elton Bandoo allegedly shot him as a SWAT team serving a warrant tried to enter his home at 16033 NE Eighth Ave on February 6th.
"It was like this," Diaz testified. "My leg and arm were hit. I started yelling. I have been shot. I felt the impact."
Bandoo, who was charged with the attempted first degree murder of a law enforcement officer, claims on the morning of the raid, he was awakened by loud bangs and his mother screaming that they were being robbed. He claims he fired his gun in self defense.
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On Monday, North Miami Beach Police Officer Craig Catlin testified that officers yelled for more than 30 seconds that they were there to serve a warrant before tossing in four flash bangs to distract those inside the house.
Investigators have not said why they targeted Bandoo and the home but, after the raid, they found several computers and the names of at least 200 people, and their social security numbers, inside a closet.
In another room, detectives found one of Bandoo's running laptops, a sheet of stolen names atop the computer, according to CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald.
"He was doing some sort of financial crime with that sheet of paper," Catlin testified.
Police also found 19 firearms of all kinds and 41 magazines with various calibers of ammunition.
While not charged with any federal crimes, investigators believe Bandoo may be involved in filing false tax returns and unemployment claims.