Bound in back of a car, man who was shot in cemetery played dead to survive

A bleeding Liam Thompson pretended to be dead as he lay inthe back seat of his car in a Halifax-area cemetery, his hands bound with a dog leash, waiting for whoever had shot him and fatally wounded his friend to finally leave.

The terrifying scenario is outlined in new policedocuments related to the homicide last Aug. 23 of Tylor McInnis, whosebody was found in the trunk of a black Honda at St. Thomas Baptist Church cemetery in North Preston.

Three people are charged with first-degree murder in the 26-year-old man's death.

Thedocuments a warrant to collect evidence in the case say Thompson was not forthcoming with officers during two police interviews, buthe told family members in a "fragmented" waywhat happened after he crawledout of the woods injured the next morning.

Family members recounted thatstory to police.

Thompson felt uneasy

The documents filed in provincial courtsay Thompson agreedto give McInnis, with whom he was friends, a drive out to North Preston the night of the shootings. Thompson said he didn't know why his friend wanted to go.

Thompson saidthey drove toa house where there were four or five people he didn't know in a part of North Preston he wasn't familiar with.

He later told family members he began to feel uneasy.

There was talk about jewelry, said Thompson, and he saw a gun on one of the men.

The documentssay a witness told policeMcInnis was hit over the head with a gun and began running away down the street, pursued by three men.

Thompson said he was pulled out of the car, pushed into the back seat and hog-tied.

Shot grazed shoulder

According to the documents, Thompson said someone else drove his car and they made at least one stop. He told his family he heard gunshots.

He was then driven to what he later learned was a cemetery. He told family memberstwo shots were fired at him, one grazing his shoulder.

"Liam said he thought he was dead because he felt terrible pain,"one family member told police, according to the documents.

"Liam said he continued to hear voices, so he tried to pretend he was dead."

He later got out of the car and went into nearby woods to hide from his attackers who he thought were looking for him.

Thompson eventually emerged the next morning and found the home of a family member.

Car reported stolen

The documents sayThompson initially called a non-emergencypolice number to report his car stolen. It was found in the cemetery a short time later.

CBC could not reach Thompson for an interview, but a close family member said he was unlikely to comment.

Part of the police case has been built on a sworn statement given by a man who said he witnessed and participated in part of what happened.

The witness has not been charged. CBC has agreed not to identify him as RCMP and the Crown attorney prosecuting the case said Friday they have concerns for his safety.

Robbery planned

According to the documents, the witness told police thatMcInnis wanted to exchange drugs for a gun, but one of the suspects who is charged with murder planned to rob him instead.

• TylorMcInnishomicide leads to 5 arrests

• Man found in North Preston car trunk was victim of homicide, police say

When McInnis arrived, one of the men told him to call some friends and ask themto bring jewelry.

The witnesstold police he was the one who tied up Thompson and put him in the back seat, but he did not see McInnis beingshot.

He said he rode as a passenger in Thompson's car when it was driven to the cemetery with McInnis's body in the trunk. It was there, he said, that Thompson was shot.

None of the allegations has been proven in court.

5 facecharges

McInnis's brother, Cowan McInnis, declined to comment Monday on the new details of the case. But in an Augustinterview, he called his older brother agood manwho would "give anyone the shirt off his back."

Shawntez Neco Downey, Daniel Romeo Downey and Nicco Alexander Smith are all charged with first-degree murder in McInnis's death.

Judson Lemar Falls and a 17-year-old male whose identity is protected by a publication ban are charged with accessory after the fact.ShawntezNecoDowney is alsocharged with attempted murder.

Preliminary inquiries for the adults are scheduled for June.