Money changer dies hours after being declared brain dead

FORTY-four-year-old Wendell Liverpool, the money changer father of four who had been shot three times after he had attempted to wrestle three men who had pounced on him and stripped him of his gold jewellery and money at a shop in West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, last Friday night, succumbed to his injuries in the Intensive Care Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital after two days of being unresponsive to treatment.

His demise was confirmed yesterday by hospital officials and family members, who had on Sunday informed media operatives that Liverpool had been listed as brain dead by doctors at the hospital, and was breathing only with the aid of a life-support machine.

Liverpool had lived a mere two corners from where he had been attacked.

The Guyana Chronicle was informed that Liverpool had been ‘liming’ with one of his brothers when the masked robbers walked into the shop, but the police have said that the bandits were identifiable, although they did not specify whether to the deceased or to someone else.

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle on Saturday afternoon, Ms Bernice Liverpool, the man’s mother, said her son, who changes money in downtown Georgetown, would usually wear much jewellery, and she had often advised him against this practice; but he would ignore her concerns, his firm response had always been- that anyone who wanted to strip him of his belongings would have to kill him to do so.

Ms Liverpool related that on the night in question, her son had resisted his robbers, forcing them to shoot him in the back, neck and buttocks.

She also disclosed that Friday’s incident was not Wendell’s first encounter with robbers. She recalled that, some two years ago, two men had attempted to invade their home, but Wendell had been able to wrestle one of them to the ground; and the other, upon seeing that, had sprinted from the home.

A police source yesterday confirmed Wendell Liverpool’s death, and disclosed that the hunt continues for the suspects who are responsible. The source said the police are also looking to get information from the public with regard to the incident, so that the culprits can be brought to justice.

The late Wendell Liverpool leaves to mourn his four children, besides his siblings and mother.

Over the last few months, there have been several shootings within the city and its environs, and this has caused the Guyana Police Force to increase the numbers of both its uniformed and plainclothes ranks around certain areas.

Crime Chief Leslie James informed this publication on Saturday, in an invited comment, that the police are working on several leads with respect to the robbery. He said the late Wendell had apparently known his shooters, and he pointed out that the attackers had likely known that their victim was a money changer and would have lots of jewellery on him.

(By Leroy Smith)