POLICE are trying to contact a 55-year-old businessman of Harlem, West Coast Demerara (WCD), who they say ‘accidentally’ discharged his firearm while exiting the Guyana Revenue Authority’s (GRA) Camp Street, Georgetown headquarters on Wednesday last, causing damage to the authority’s scanner.

According to a police statement, today, the man visited the GRA head office at around 15:03 hrs last Wednesday and lodged his firearm at the security guard hut. He kept his magazine with rounds.

“The firearm was collected by a Police performing duties in the guard hut and the businessman then went into the GRA building where he conducted his business and returned to the guard hut at about 15:43hrs and retrieved his firearm,” the police statement said.

The statement continued: “He then turned to the southern direction of the said hut and was in the process of inserting his magazine into the firearm when a round went off and struck the lower part on the northern side of the scanner which is situated in the guard hut, same is valued $1,300,000 (Guyana Currency).

“After the round hit the scanner, the businessman exited the guard hut and went away. Efforts to contact the businessman have been unsuccessful thus far. Investigations are in progress,” the police statement continued.