SHAWN Thom,a 37-year-old taxi driver of 138 Third Street, Alberttown, was yesterday arraigned before city Magistrate Ann McLennan for discharging a loaded firearm and being in possession of a gun and ammunition.He was suspected to be part of a crew that was trailing travellers from the airport into the city and was shot after they were confronted by police.
Thom was shot to his right foot and while using a crutch yesterday he had to be assisted into Court Two of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
According to the charge, Thom on October 7 at Kitty, discharged a loaded firearm at off-duty police officer Prim Narine. It is also alleged that he was found with a .32 revolver with three live matching rounds. Thom denied all the charges and stated that he was only released from the hospital last Saturday and was placed into police custody.
Thom pleaded with the magistrate to be released on bail since it was his birthday yesterday, but all he got was a “Happy Birthday” greeting from the magistrate and was whisked away to the Georgetown prison.
According to reports, policeman Narine was escorting his family from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport when he noticed a suspicious hire car trailing him and alerted ranks at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
Then as Narine, a Kitty resident, pulled into his driveway he saw the suspect’s car parked a short distance away in a dark corner. The CID ranks and Narine were approaching the hire car when Thom allegedly opened fire at the lawmen who returned fire, wounding the suspect in his right foot and then they disarmed him, but his accomplice managed to escape on foot.