Twenty five year-old  Richard Barton, who was  shot in the chest while on duty at Lambert’s Emporium, Charlotte Street, Bourda, on Saturday, was yesterday in a stable condition at the High Dependency Unit (HDU) of the Georgetown Public Hospital. Barton, who had only commenced working with the business concern last Monday, was shot during what appeared to be a brazen daylight robbery attempt by someone identified as a former employee – the man whose position Barton had filled.  After a spirited escape bid, the intruder,  who is suspected to have wounded Barton,  was apprehended in an alley-way by police patrol ranks in the area, and taken to the Brickdam Police Station.   The police also found a weapon  in a bag in the alley-way where the man was intercepted.
Even though details were sketchy, and many persons on the scene declined to comment, this newspaper learnt that around 16:30 hrs. on Saturday, the man who had recently ceased working with Lambert’s, turned up at the emporium, carrying a bag in his hand, and claimed that he had come to collect his identification card which was left there.
Reports said that Barton was asked to accompany him to the second floor of the building , where he claimed the ID card was.   Moments later, a scuffling was heard upstairs, and  gun shots rang out.
The Managing Director’s son, Kyle Lambert, and other staff members on duty rushed upstairs, only to find Barton bleeding and with a gunshot wound to the chest.  The suspect hastily exited the room , leapt onto a verandah, and ran across the roof of two nearby buildings in an escape bid.
By then, persons in the busy commercial area  ran out to enquire. Realizing that he was in full view of a crowd which had quickly gathered, the suspect jumped off the roof, landed in a yard about 30 feet below, and apparently broke his leg.
Sources who spoke with this  newspaper  are of the view that the suspect who was well acquainted with the business and the ‘run of things’, may have been going after the payroll and/or the day’s takings, since it was pay  day for the employees.
Neighbours quickly raised an alarm, at which stage the intruder ran through an alley-way, but was intercepted by police ranks who had been alerted by the crowd.
In the meantime, Barton’ relatives, hysterical, hastened down to the hospital where he was admitted.
Managing Director of the business concern, Mr. Lambert, is currently out of the country, and in his absence, his son, Kyle was deputising.