POLICE Corporal Romain Cleto, a 25-year-old father of one, was gunned down last evening when the occupant(s) of a white Toyota 212 motorcar opened fire on a police vehicle, PLL 1188, in vicinity of the Plaisance Bus Park on Avenue of the Republic here in the city.

Reports are that the dead rank, who hails from Region One (Barima-Waini)but resided in Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown, was at the time travelling with two other police ranks in the police vehicle, allegedly trailing the car which they perceived to be a vehicle of interest to the police, as it was being driven in a suspicious manner. Cleto was only recently promoted to the rank of corporal.
Police have since confirmed that the names of the injured ranks are Constables Randy Haley,20, and Anil Rajpersaud. Both are now patients at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) where they were admitted after the shooting
While it is unclear from where the police began trailing the car, the Guyana Chronicle has learnt that the occupants of that vehicle became aware they were being trailed by the police, and attempted to dash away from the police vehicle; but when they approached the Plaisance Bus Park on Avenue of the Republic and Regent Street, the traffic light was still functioning, and traffic was moving at a snail’s pace.
One eyewitness told this publication that as the car pulled up at the traffic light, “a fearless, skinny Indian boy” exited the ‘212’ and immediately opened fire on the police vehicle which was behind them, giving the police no chance to retaliate.
Said eyewitness said the weapon the man used to open fire on the police resembles an AK-47 assault rifle. He added that as the man opened fire on the police, the crowd which was at the park began to scatter, and both uniformed and plainclothes policemen in the vicinity began scampering for cover before composing themselves and running to the scene.
The eyewitness said at one point, a police rank with a handgun began running towards the scene, but he had “the devil’s own job” getting the weapon to function, and was heard to say in frustration: “This is what dem give me fu wuk with?!”
Speaking at the Georgetown Public Hospital last evening, Assistant Police Commissioner George Vyphuis, who recently served as Commander of ‘A’ Division and whose office was located at the Brickdam Police Station where the now dead cop had been stationed, expressed shock and sadness at the killing of a policeman in the line of duty.
Vyphius told the media that after receiving word of the shooting, the police immediately set up roadblocks to net the persons responsible. He said he was informed that the police patrol had observed a white vehicle travelling in front of the police vehicle, and that a closer look at the number plate of that vehicle revealed it had apparently been tampered with.
The police then began trailing the vehicle, and had turned into Charlotte Street to corner the suspicious car, but when they meet up again, a man exited that vehicle and opened fire on the police.
Despite robust police presence at the crime scene soon after the shooting, and their search for warheads, the senior police officer could not say what type of weapon had been used in the attack. He vowed that the police would do all within its power to bring to justice the persons responsible for the killing of Cleto and wounding of two other police officials.
The police would likely be able to crack this case very soon if they decide to tap into stored video footage collected from the various CCTV cameras set up around the city.
Last night’s shooting was committed right underneath one of the close circuit cameras situated at the junction of Avenue of the Republic and Regent Street. In addition, there is a camera beaming down right at the location where the young man allegedly exited the white vehicle and opened fire on the police.
An emotional scene unfolded at the GPHC as fellow police officials and relatives of the dead Cleto vented their grief upon hearing the news of his demise. The GPHC compound was overflowing with members of the Guyana Police Force, including senior and junior ranks; and in addition to the presence of Assistant Commissioner Vyphius, ‘A’ Division Commander Derrick Josiah was present, offering words of comfort to the relatives of the dead cop.
The cop’s father, mother and sister were all inconsolable at the loss of their loved one. The father was apparently at work when he got word that he should visit the hospital. He learnt of his son’s tragic death only after visiting the hospital and seeing all the family members present, most of whom were weeping.
At the GPHC, a senior officer was overheard questioning the logic behind the actions the police patrol had taken, which had resulted in the unfortunate incident. The officer was asking if the police ranks, who were only three in number, had suspected that the car might be of interest, and were unaware of who were in the car and what they had in their possession,  why did they not call for back up?
Another police officer then reminded that officer that there are so many patrols on the road at night that, had the three policemen radioed for backup, help would have been readily available, especially in the area where they had cornered the car.
The view was also expressed that the car might have earlier been involved in commission of an offence, hence that brutal approach towards the police, whom they may have thought were aware of their earlier crime and were about to intercept them.
This is the second case in recent times when police decided to trail a vehicle through the streets of Georgetown without radioing for backup, and it resulted in loss of life at the end. In the case of Dameon Belgrave, the police had trailed the vehicle all the way from Tucville into the busy Hadfield Street. However, unlike that incident, when the police were the ones to open fire and kill a young bystander; in this incident, the suspects opened fire and killed a member of the police force and injured two others in the process.