…police say suspect confronted ranks following a robbery

A FULL investigation has been called for into a shooting incident in which a 35-year-old Leopold Street man was shot dead by the police following a robbery during the wee hours of Wednesday morning.

Residents of Leopold Street set fires to debris that they threw on the roadway as they protested and called on the Guyana Police Force to provide them with clear information into the circumstances surrounding the death of resident, Orin Williams, who the police noted was shot during a confrontation with ranks following a robbery.

Following the protest actions in Leopold Street, residents met with PNCR Chairman Volda Lawrence and Executive Basil Williams SC accompanied by WPA Executive Tacuma Ogunseye and GAP Executive Attorney Anthony James. The High Level APNU contingent supported the call for a fair investigation into the incident and justice being served.
The police, in a press release, said that initial investigations revealed that four persons were held at gunpoint, at the corner of Hadfield and High Streets, by three men, early on Wednesday morning. They were robbed of several articles including four cell phones, an undisclosed amount of cash and personal documents.

The victims promptly reported the matter to the police who responded and proceeded in the direction in which the suspects allegedly fled. Reports are that around 01:30hrs, while in the vicinity of Norton and Bishop Streets, Wortmanville, one of the suspects dismounted his bicycle, drew a firearm from his waist and discharged two rounds in the direction of police ranks who took evasive action and returned fire using their service weapons.
One of the suspects was wounded and he was taken to Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The police noted that the other suspects made good their escape. One .38 revolver with its serial number filed out with one live round and two spent shells, a quantity of Cannabis, three cellular phones, one yellow metal chain, G$10,000 and one back-pack were recovered from the scene.

Two of the cellular phones recovered have since been identified by two of the victims as belonging to them, the Guyana Police Force said. On Wednesday morning, the residents of the area barricaded Leopold Street as they sought the attention of the authorities. The situation was quickly ‘de-escalated’ when the scene was visited by a party of police officials , headed by Assistant Commissioner, Marlon Chapman, who spoke with the protestors in the presence of Attorney at Law Mr. Nigel Hughes. He assured them that a thorough investigation into the matter would be conducted. Residents subsequently extinguished the fires and also removed the debris from the road ways.