…other miner recovering
ONE of the two hinterland gold miners shot and robbed by armed bandits at the Cornbread Bar, D’Urban Street, on Monday night, has died. Dead is John Xavier, 32, of Rupununi, Region 9, and Harlem, West Coast Demerara. He died at the Georgetown Hospital early yesterday morning, while yet a patient at the Intensive Care Unit.
Xavier was said to have sustained gunshot wounds which shattered his abdomen.
Meanwhile, his colleague, Irving John, 46, of St. Cuthbert’s Mission, Upper Demerara River, late yesterday remained in a stable condition at the High Dependency Unit of the hospital. John is nursing two gunshot wounds.
The two men, who worked in the Matthew’s Ridge gold mining area, were ‘having a few drinks’ at the Cornbread Bar, when, around 21:00hrs, they were attacked by the armed men who rode up on CG motor cycles and demanded that they hand over their cash.  The miners failed to co-operate
A scuffle ensued as the bandits tried to relieve them of a bag and their wallets. In the process, the intruders discharged several rounds, wounding the miners who fell bleeding on the ground. The men escaped with the victims’ bag and wallets which, according to John, contained about $600,000.
The wounded men were picked up by public spirited persons who rushed them to the hospital.
Persons at the scene of the shooting said that the two miners had earlier in the evening been ‘drinking’ at the Corner Kick Pub, a short distance away, on Lime Street, but left and proceeded to Cornbread, where they were shot. Police are continuing their investigations.