THE shooting incident of 28-year-old Venezuelan, Edmundo Luis Berti Garcia, a lieutenant in the Venezuelan National Guard stationed at the Guyana/Venezuela border, may be related to a recent drug “bust.”

The lieutenant of Venezuelan nationality was shot by two other Venezuelans on April 24, 2021 at Imbotero Landing, North West District, Region One (Barima-Waini) while on duty at the Guyana/Venezuela border.

Police on Sunday disclosed that investigations have thus far revealed that, on April 19, 2021, Garcia intercepted a boat in which a quantity of marijuana (ganja) was discovered and seized. The two occupants of the boat at the time are now the prime suspects in the shooting incident.

The victim, reportedly, crossed the border into Guyana at Imbotero, on Saturday, and was confronted by the suspects who were both armed with firearms. They opened fire hitting him to his body, a police press release stated.

The two suspects made good their escape while the soldier was assisted out of the river by public-spirited individuals and taken to the Mabaruma Regional Hospital by police ranks stationed at Imbotero.

While receiving medical attention at the hospital, the victim requested to be taken back to Venezuela for further treatment which was facilitated by a team of police officers and ranks from the Guyana Defence Force, who took him to the Guyana/Venezuela border and handed him over to another officer of the Venezuelan National Guard.