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Man Charged With Shooting Cop May Go Back To Jail

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Miami-Dade prosecutors are trying to put a man accused of shooting a police officer back behind bars after he allegedly threatened to have the officer killed.

Elton Bandoo has been on house arrest since early May after a judge granted his release him on bond.

Now, a jailhouse snitch has reportedly told authorities that Bandoo threatened to kill Lino Diaz, the North Miami Beach officer he's accused of shooting, if were released on bond.

Officer Diaz told CBS4's Natalia Zea he is looking over his shoulder but won't let the alleged threat deter him from his job.

"It was an added stress to me, especially since I was going through my recovery, mental and physical," he said.

CLICK HERE To Watch Natalia Zea's Report

"It's not going to change the way I do police work. Of course I have to be a little more careful out there but I'm not going to cower away from a threat....Even though I have concerns for myself, concern for my coworkers, concern for my family, I still have a duty to run toward the danger, not away from it."

Diaz says North Miami Beach police have beefed up security for him and the judge has set a bond revocation hearing. However Diaz is concerned that it is set for more than a month after they requested it, after learning about the alleged threat.

"It's upsetting, I have my own opinions but we have to put faith in the justice system. And that's the hand that was dealt....I can either be bitter about it or I can accept it. Either way the outcome's going to be the same," he told Zea.

"The safety and welfare of all of our personnel is always of extreme importance. In cases in which our officers are threatened, the Police Department takes extra steps to ensure their safety. Officer Diaz, like all of our officers, is an important member of our North Miami Beach Police family. We certainly hope that the Courts take the appropriate actions to protect all members of our community," said North Miami Beach Police Chief J Scott Dennis in a statement.

Bandoo's defense attorneys counter that the jailhouse informant shouldn't be believed.

"This is preposterous. This jailhouse snitch is a multiple time convicted felon who has absolutely no credibility. (Elton Bandoo) is waiting for his day in court," said attorney Seth Lavey in a statement.

Officers arrested Bandoo on February 6th after he allegedly came out of his home and fired a gun three times while police were trying to serve a warrant at his home in the area of Northeast 160th Street and 8th Avenue. Diaz was hit twice.

Bandoo was charged with attempted first degree murder of a law enforcement officer.

Bandoo said he fired the gun in self-defense since he was awakened by loud bangs and his mother screaming they were being robbed.

In the State's motion to revoke bond, prosecutors also say they have new information that Bandoo was not asleep during the warrant operation, and looked at the window and saw officers approaching his house before firing.

The hearing to determine whether Bandoo's bond will be revoked is set for June 17th.

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