The victim of a fatal shooting in North Preston was a former basketball star who’d had some run-ins with the law and was charged in a violent robbery and abduction at a Dartmouth bowling alley in 2009.

RCMP have confirmed Narico Danefu Downey, 23, of North Preston died of a single bullet wound in hospital Sunday night after a shooting on Downey Road in North Preston.

Officers responded to Downey Road after getting reports of gunshots around 9 p.m. Sunday. On the way, they intercepted a civilian vehicle with an injured man inside and transferred him to an ambulance. Police would not confirm if Downey was the one driving the vehicle or if the vehicle was seized as part of their investigation.

“The victim was then transferred to an ambulance and taken to the QEII Hospital,” Staff Sgt. Peter Ferguson told News 95.7. “Approximately 10:37 p.m. we received word that the victim had died.”

An autopsy conducted Monday afternoon confirmed that Downey died as a result of a gunshot wound.

Downey is one of five people charged in an armed robbery and abduction at the Beazley Bowling Lanes in Dartmouth in 2009, though RCMP wouldn’t comment on the case.

“The Privacy Act prohibits the RCMP from commenting on whether or not people were known to police,” said Cst. Tammy Lobb.

Downey was originally charged with two counts each of robbery and kidnapping and a single charge of conspiracy to commit robbery, wearing a mask while committing an offence, using a firearm and possession of a weapon for the purpose of committing an offence.

He pleaded guilty last year to being an accessory to robbery and received an 18-month conditional sentence.

His cousin, Coulton Durrell Downey, was handed a six-year jail sentence for his role in the crime on Monday.

Downey was a star of the Cole Harbour Cavaliers basketball team, leading them to a national title in 2006.

The Chronicle Herald reports he had recently been accepted into the restaurant and hotel management course at Holland College in PEI.

Investigators continue to canvas Downey Road and are asking anyone with information to contact police or Crimestoppers.

This is the ninth homicide in HRM this year.