A MELANIE Damishana shopkeeper was shot and critically injured following a robbery at his East Coast Demerara home on Saturday night.According to the police, 50-year-old Lebert Thomas, a father of five, was confronted by two men in his yard at Cinema Road, Melanie Damishana, East Coast Demerara around midnight on Saturday. He was shot to his abdomen by the men who later escaped.
The man’s mother, Yvonne Isaacs, who lives with Thomas, told this newspaper at the scene of the robbery yesterday that her son is in a critical, but stable condition in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Georgetown Public Hospital.
She said her son, known to many as “Lebee” and “Keptado”, complained of pains in his side yesterday, but he has experienced similar injuries in the past following attacks, as she expressed optimism about his condition.
Saturday night was the second time in two months that Thomas was attacked.
The man’s worried mother recounted that on Saturday night, Thomas was preparing to visit a female acquaintance when he was attacked by two men. She said that the man spoke to her shortly before he left the house to go to his car, but since the volume of TV was high she could not hear what was occurring in the yard.
“He go out the yard and was by the car in the yard and I heard a loud bang and soon after he come in the door and said he got shot,” Isaacs said.
She said that after her son was wounded, she handed his car keys to a neighbour who came to their assistance and Thomas was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital. Surgery was performed on him soon after and he was admitted to the ICU as the night progressed.
OTHER ATTACKS
Isaacs said that her son has been operating his shop for almost 25 years at the corner where the Cinema Road intersects the East Coast Demerara Public Road. She said some 17 years ago, her son was shot close to his groin when he was attacked while at his shop. At the time the shop was on the opposite side of the road. Sometime after, he was attacked again by several men, one of whom shot him in the region of his groin. Earlier this year, he was stabbed by two men who attempted to rob him at his shop.
“Then two months ago he lost a lot of blood when they used an ice pick and stab him, I just fed up and as long as the police don’t stop these boys, this thing will continue,” an agitated Isaacs stated.
A brother-in-law found a shell casing and a live round in the yard where the incident occurred, leaving the family to believe that Thomas was lucky to be alive yesterday. In addition, a resident of Cinema Road saw two young men, one he described as being tall and the other short, running through the street shortly after the gunshot was heard at Thomas’ residence. However, his mother said he does not have any issues with anyone as she pondered why he was a prime target for intruders.
She said that Thomas had applied for a firearm licence on several occasions, but his applications have been unsuccessful.
TEEN PURSE SNATCHER
Meanwhile, a 15-year-old lad was apprehended near Coop Cresent in Linden on Saturday night after he snatched a young lady’s bag. The police said around 21:30 hrs that evening, Nazeema McLean of Rainbow City, Mackenzie was at Co-op Cresent, Linden when the teenager snatched her handbag containing her valuables, including her cell phone, house keys and cash.
He attempted to escape but public-spirited persons in the vicinity pursued him and handed him over to the police. The stolen articles have been recovered, the police reported.
And in the city Saturday morning, a police ‘Operation Dragnet’ patrol stopped and searched a man at Princes Street and found an unlicensed .32 revolver and 19 matching rounds in his possession.
According to reports, the suspect was previously charged with unlawful possession of another firearm in June this year and that matter is before the courts.

Shot shop keeper in critical condition