THE main suspect identified as Royston Waldron, taxi driver, of 38 Public Road Kitty, who was fingered in the disappearance of St. Stanislaus College school teacher Ms. Nyozi Goodman and the disappearance of Police Constable Patriena Nicolson, who went missing since August 9, 2013, was gunned down yesterday afternoon during a confrontation with the police in Kitty.

His accomplices Seon Grant and Ronly Rampersaud were apprehended and are in police custody following the shootout with lawmen yesterday at about 14:50 hrs at Thomas and Alexander Streets, Kitty.

According to reports, members of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) who were occupants of an unmarked police vehicle were heading to the Kitty Police Station when they encountered the trio who were in a yellow 192 Toyota car with registration number HB 6445 belonging to Royston Waldron.
The police approached the men with the aim of questioning them and were greeted with gunshots and the police responded by discharging several rounds at the group during which Waldron was shot and injured.

The police, however, managed to corner the men and arrested them and while they were on the way to the hospital Waldron succumbed to the gunshot wound he received to the chest.

Waldron was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he was pronounced dead, while Rampersaud and Grant were taken into police custody for questioning.

This publication was reliably informed that Grant was wanted by the police for questioning following the theft of a steel plate from a city businessman while Rampersaud was wanted for questioning in relation to several armed robberies committed on a Chinese Restaurant and a goldsmith establishment both on Sheriff Street and a business place on Regent and King Streets.

Police yesterday recovered a .32 pistol with ammunition and four spent shell from Waldron’s car after the shooting incident.

The car was lodged with the police at Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters, Eve Leary pending investigations.

At the scene, an eyewitness told this publication that she saw two vehicles and then there were gunshots and one of the three men in the yellow coloured taxi

was shot and injured by several men in the other vehicle who were later identified as policemen dressed in civilian clothing.

She reported that the incident took place within a few minutes and the police had the situation under control after which they were backed up by other ranks of the GPF, who assisted them.

Residents of Kitty, who had gathered at the scene yesterday were in loud praise for the police who they said acted in a very professional manner and were also pleased that the men were captured since they are of the opinion that they were on their way to commit a crime.
They said that with the approaching of the festive season they are happy that criminal elements are getting what they deserve.

(Asif Hakim)