-suspect in custody

By Jared Liddell
AN argument between two men over where a woman urinated on the East Coast minibus park, on New Year’s Day, resulted in the gunning down of clothes vendor, 32-year-old Paul Anthony Smith, also known as ‘Blacka’.
The Sunday Chronicle understands that Smith was shot in the back around 18:30hrs at Longden and Commerce Streets, Georgetown; the 29-year-old suspect has since been arrested.

The woman at the centre of the incident, who prefers to remain anonymous, is an employee of Smith. She told this newspaper that the suspect, whom she identified as ‘Seon’, and his father physically and verbally abused her after she urinated at a particular spot which has been designated as a “peeing spot” for the vendors.

According to her, the suspect claimed that she urinated on his shop but she denied. This led to an argument between her and the suspect commencing, during which Smith attempted to make peace.

The woman and the suspect then left for the Brickdam Police Station to make a report and, while there, it is alleged that the suspect received a telephone call that Smith was beating his father. The woman claimed that the suspect then hurriedly left the police station and went back to the scene after which Smith was shot dead.

The suspect is a clothes vendor who, along with his father, operates two stalls away from Smith.
Police Headquarters, in a statement, noted that Smith was observed holding a cutlass and heading to his car when he was shot. Smith was subsequently picked up by public spirited citizens and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The woman described Smith as a “very loving person” and noted that he was always a jovial person who did his best to stay away from trouble.