A 16-year-old was, today, fatally shot by a plainclothes police officer in the Stabroek Market area, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) said in a release.

According to the GPF, the incident occurred around 14:20 hrs on Wednesday. It is alleged that Sydel Bourne, 16 years old from Agricola, East Bank Demerara (EBD), was armed with a knife and attempted to rob the reputed wife of a plainclothes police officer who was present at the time. The police officer and his reputed wife were reportedly shopping.

The GPF said Bourne was accompanied by two others who attempted to rob the police officer’s reputed wife of a gold chain which she was wearing. The police further claimed that the reputed wife resisted but was still relieved of her gold chain. It was then, the press release continued, that one of Bourne’s accomplices instructed him to stab the woman.

“The policeman discharged a round in the direction hitting Sydel Bourne to his body. The other two suspects managed to escape,” the police said in the statement to the media.

Sydel Bourne was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The police say they are investigating the matter.