A Linden man was fatally shot on Saturday evening in Central Amelia’s Ward, after his car was riddled with bullets from men who trailed him in another car.

Eon Williams, known as OJ Williams, was pronounced dead at the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC), while his girlfriend, Melita Benjamin remained critical up to press time. She was shot to the leg and back.
Williams is the cousin of Teon Allen, an ex- policeman, who was recently charged for discharging a firearm, in one of the incidence of an escalating gang feud in the mining town.
According to information reaching this newspaper, the shooters, allegedly members of a Cayenne-Based Guyanese gang, may have been targeting Allen, or his family, as revenge.
The gang feud between Allen and the Cayenne Gang, started some months ago.

Residents of Lover’s Lane and Central Amelia’s Ward were forced to take cover after a series of gunshots started firing in their community approximately 20:30hrs on Saturday. The Guyana Chronicle understands that Williams’ car was trailed and shots were fired. He attempted to escape and shots continued to be fired while he was out of the car. The shooting took about five minutes before the gun men drove away. “All I hear is Pow Pow for a good couple minutes. I lay down on the ground. This thing started from till Third Corner side and end up round Main Street. Ya coulda know was more than one person shooting. this thing really shake me up. This is a peaceful community, we don’t get these things going on,” one resident said.

Police reported to the scene and commenced their investigation.

In recent months, there have been several incidence of gang-related violence in Linden. On September 2, 2019, a shooting occurred in Amelia’s Ward with Denise Grant, the mother of one of the gang members, and Tiffany McDeth, another relative, being the target.
Allen was wanted for the incident, but has since submitted an alibi video to the police, which showed that he was at another location at the time of the shooting. While he was in custody, his car was torched and an eyewitness was shot. That was the third vehicle that was torched since the gang war started. There were stabbing incidents and several drive-by shootings.

E’ Division Commander, Superintendent Ramesh Ashram, had said that the division had ramped up patrols in the communities, especially in Amelia’s Ward.

Earlier this month, ranks from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in the capital, journeyed to Linden and arrested 14 males who are suspected to be involved in the ongoing gang violence. Ten of them were subsequently released but four were charged for offences ranging from possession of narcotics and acquiring military clothing from the Guyana Defence Force. These are: Adrian Webster, Yuriel Lewis, Rodwell Fraser and Lennox Estwick. Rodwell Fraser was released on $20, 000 bail and Estwick was released on $5, 000 bail. Webster and Lewis were fined $10, 000 in addition to being ordered to conduct community service.

Allen, who is a former policeman, has had several brushes with the law. In August, 2017, Allen appeared before Magistrate Clive Nurse at the Linden Magistrate’s Court, charged with harbouring wanted men – Mark Royden Williams and Uree Varswyck – who broke out of the Camp Street Prison on July 9, 2017. Police are investigating the killing.