AN INQUEST into the death of Andre Patterson, who was shot dead in the compound of New Amsterdam Technical Institute (NATI), in Berbice, on September 12, 2000, began before Coroner Omeyana Hamlinton in New Amsterdam Court last Friday.
Patterson, a guard attached to COPS Security, had been on the 19:00 h to 07:00h shift at the learning institution and, when he assumed duty, he was in possession a .32 Taurus revolver and six live rounds.
That night, his father, Ernest Patterson, a janitor at NATI, took his son’s dinner, the older Patterson testified.
Another guard, Lakeraj Persaud, who was also on duty, told the Coroner’s Court that he left the younger Patterson eating his meal but heard a gunshot shortly after.
Persaud said he ran in the direction of the sound and saw the victim lying in a pool of blood with his firearm next to him on the ground.
The deceased was buried on September 15, 2000, at Number Five Village, West Coast Berbice and investigating Police ranks said he met his death under  controversial circumstances but the evidence was inconclusive to ink anyone else, but the dead man, to the shooting.
The three witnesses, who have given evidence, so far, include Ronald Simon, Principal of NATI.
The inquiry is continuing.