EARLY yesterday morning, taxi driver, Curtis Thom, 48 years, of Laing Avenue, West Ruimveldt, was in his yard when he was confronted by two gunmen who discharged rounds at him and escaped.Thom was shot to his chest and left shoulder and was admitted to hospital.According to reports, the taxi driver was at the time feeding his dogs in the yard when the two assailants, who are said to be known to him, approached and opened fire at him before fleeing the scene. Up to late last evening the man’s condition was listed as critical.
The Guyana Chronicle was informed that the man had long been a target of one of the two men who attacked him, who is believed to be also from Laing Avenue.

Meanwhile, Ronda Spence Thom, the taxi driver’s wife, told this publication yesterday that one of the suspects had served time in jail for a robbery in the East Ruimveldt Market where he managed to escape while his accomplice was shot and later died.
She said that her husband, to whom she has been married for just about a year, has a lot of police friends and one of the suspects believes that Thom had been snitching on him.
Recounting the ordeal, Mrs. Thom said that when her husband came home he opted to feed the dogs and she protested since it was very late and she urged him to get into bed. She said that he insisted on feeding the dogs so she stayed with him but after a while she went to bed.
Shortly after she heard what sounded like gunshots and knew right away that it was her husband who was being attacked. The woman said that she rushed out and saw her husband approaching as he said that he was shot and urged her to call the police.
Shortly after he collapsed in the bedroom and she raised an alarm and persons rushed to their aid and took the man to the hospital. The woman said that there was little that she could have done since their youngest child is three months old.
The police were busy yesterday in their efforts to locate the suspects who were identified by Thom as he lay on his hospital bed. This publication was also informed that after the shooting, at approximately 08:30 hrs, the main suspect was still being seen in the area by residents. The police were informed but by the time they arrived he had vanished.

(By Leroy Smith)