DOCTORS at the Balwant Singh Hospital were up to Monday still observing the condition of 46-year-old Patrick Mohan, a father of one of Bellevue, WCB who was shot to the head on Friday at about 20:15 hrs in Bush Lot, WCB in what some are calling a robbery.

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle Monday afternoon, the injured man’s mother, pensioner Katie Mohan, said her son was improving gradually although he is not speaking much about the incident at this time. She, however, confirmed that the man is alert and is communicating with relatives.

The bullet is still lodged in his head, and efforts to have the bullet removed on Friday night were unsuccessful, as X-Rays had to be done to determine the positioning of the bullet.

Mohan was first taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital before being transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital, after which relatives moved him to the Balwant Singh Hospital.

Family members who spoke with witnesses to what had transpired in a Chinese shop at Bush Lot, WCB related they were told that Mohan had been sitting inside the restaurant when the gunman walked into the facility, went up to the counter, and then turned around to Mohan. He pulled his cap down to hide his face, pointed the gun to Mohan’s ears, and pulled the trigger; but Mohan, realising that the man was going to shoot him, moved his head, and the bullet failed to penetrate his ears although he was shot in his head, where the bullet is still lodged.

Mohan was hospitalised at the Georgetown Public Hospital in an alert state on Saturday last, after the shooting incident of Friday night. Information reaching this newspaper and confirmed by the police in a press release indicate that Mohan had been inside the restaurant when he was approached by the gunman who shot him to the head.

The police did not disclose what may have led to Mohan’s shooting, but this newspaper understands that after the man had been shot and had fallen off the chair, the bandit snatched his gold chain and band and hurriedly boarded a waiting car. Family members believe that the shooting was more of a hit on the man, since his gold rings were not taken.

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle on Saturday evening, the man’s brother, Rohan Mohan, said that Patrick, his brother, does not reside in Guyana but lives in St. Martin, where he works on ships. He explained that his brother had arrived in Guyana only the night before the shooting.

This newspaper was told that the man is awaiting surgery to have the bullet removed from his head, since it has been lodged in the back of his head. In addition, one of his eyes was swollen and appeared to be blood clotted, but doctors are working to have those clots removed.

Rohan said his brother appeared to be out of danger, and was alert and communicating with family members. However, they have been reluctant to question him much about the incident because of his condition.

This newspaper was told that the man did indicate to relatives that he was not familiar with the person who had shot him, since the incident had happened very quickly.

(By Leroy Smith)