Dead bandits were career criminals
Dead: Shawn Browne Jr
Dead: Shawn Browne Jr

THE three bandits who were shot and killed by the police following a botched robbery on Thursday night at Norton Street, Lodge, were career criminals who preyed on person’s vulnerability, police sources have revealed.
Junior Nurse, 25, of Hill Street, Albouystown, who was killed in a police shootout on Thursday night along with Shawn Browne Jr and Leslie Griffith, had many brushes with the law.
In fact, Nurse was arrested on March 2, 2019 in a foiled robbery outside Kay’s Diamond Enterprise at 288 Middle and Thomas Streets, South Cummingsburg when his accomplice was shot dead by the owner of the mining firm.

His colleague, Henry Johansson, attempted to rob the owner by pretending he was there to purchase diamonds, and was later shot dead inside the building.

On the April 21, 2015, Nurse pleaded guilty to robbery, and was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment while facing another robbery charge at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
The persons who were charged with him, Devon Forde, a 28-year-old goldsmith of 56 Second Street, Campbellville and Adrian Bishop, 28, of 67 Garnett Street, Newtown, Kitty has since lost their lives.

Dead: Junior Nurse

Forde succumbed at the Georgetown Hospital in January 2015, a few days after he was run over by a minibus. His relatives were adamant that the act was a deliberate one, stating that he was being followed by the minibus. At the time, he was riding a scooter and the minibus had rammed into the cycle before running him over.
Bishop was shot and killed outside of a party on Hill Street, Albouystown, in September 2014 after a confrontation with a policewoman.
Griffith, whose identity was unknown for several hours following his death, was identified on Friday by his mother. The 24-year-old of Lot 165 William Street, Kitty, Georgetown, was on the police radar and socialised with many persons who are involved in gang-related robberies, sources revealed.

Meanwhile, Shawn Browne Jr was on the police radar for a while but was not caught or apprehended for any criminal matters. Police said he was part of a larger gang that committed planned and random robberies.
He is allegedly the son of the late notorious criminal, Shawn Browne, who was among several dangerous criminals who were involved in the brutal crime wave following the 2002 Camp Street jail break.

The senior Browne was killed in June, 2003 during an explosive two-hour siege of a Prashad Nagar, Georgetown home in which three grenades were lobbed at a police/army team.

US federal authorities had issued a warrant for Browne’s arrest as a material witness in the kidnapping of US Embassy diplomat, Stephen Lesniak, in 2003.
Meanwhile, the police corporal who was shot in the leg during the shootout is recovering at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), and is said to be in a stable condition. Clive Clarke has been receiving well-wishes from Guyanese here and abroad and persons have even suggested that the rank along with his colleagues receive recognition from the force for their efforts.

The shootout stemmed from a robbery where the bandits invaded the home of a family, but were held-up in the house as a police patrol was summoned and responded promptly on the scene. Police recovered three guns and many spent shells from the crime scene on Thursday.

A tattoo of a handgun on Shawn Browne Jr’s chest

Thursday night’s killing comes two weeks after police in Berbice eliminated three other bandits who were tormenting residents in that area.
It also come on the heels of the Private Sector Commission (PSC) saying that its members are deeply concerned that insufficient progress is being made with regards to the fight against crime.
Meanwhile, the Public Security Ministry commended the work done by the Guyana Police Force.

“The responsiveness of the Police Force certainly resulted in the prevention of harm to an innocent family. Unfortunately, but with every justification, it resulted in the demise of three individuals whose intentions were to rob and probably kill,” the ministry said in a press statement on Friday.

The ministry stated that it was very thankful for the community support which was received on Thursday evening; firstly, for their giving of relevant and necessary information to the policemen involved in the actions taken; and, secondly, for rallying around the police force’s efforts in rescuing that family.

“Community support is extremely necessary to fight crime in Guyana. This support realised success in Black Bush Polder recently, as it did in this instance. The battle is not yet won. But the collaborative efforts of the public, police force and the ministry will continue unabated until it is,” the ministry stated.

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