Bandits shot dead by police
Two male bandits were shot dead on Sunday night by ranks of the Guyana Police Force during an exchange of gunfire, shortly after they robbed six persons at Seaforth Street, Campbellville.
According to a police release, at about 20:30hrs, the victims were in a yard at lot 53 Seaforth Street, Campbellville celebrating a family reunion when the now dead armed bandits, who are yet to be identified, pounced and relieved them of their valuables.
They discharged several rounds in the air during the commission of the crime. According to the release, as they were leaving the scene, they were pursued by a number of public spirited citizens, the victims and ranks of a police patrol. They were cornered inside the compound of the Campbellville Secondary School where they discharged several rounds at the lawmen who returned fire and fatally shot them.
An unlicensed revolver with five live rounds and a spent shell were recovered next to the slain bandits along with some of the stolen articles, which included five cellular phones, a chain and cash. Several spent shells were also retrieved at the scene of the crime. The bodies are at the Georgetown Public Hospital Mortuary a
Dead bandits were known criminals- police source
– Letlow was charged in 2012 for robbery
– Shot in 2014 for grabbing chain
– Charged in 2015 for stealing a motorcycle
Two bandits who were cornered and gunned down by the police during a shootout after they had
Dead bandit: Jamal Letlow
robbed persons at a family function at Seaforth Street, Campbellville on Sunday, have been identified as Jamal Letlow and Shaquille Fraser.
Both men are 22 years old and are said to be known characters to the Guyana Police Force (GPF).
Letlow, a father of three and a fish cleaner, resided at John Fernandes Squatting Area while his accomplice, Shaquille Fraser, a mason, resided at Better Hope, East Coast Demerara and Lot 153 Lodge Housing Scheme, Georgetown.
Yesterday, Letlow’s brother, Patrick Peters, said that they were informed that his brother had been killed when someone called and informed them that there was a shootout in Campbellville.
He said that he as well as other relatives went to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where they identified the father of three.
According to Peters, his sibling was watching television with him for a few hours before he was gunned down. “He was watching TV and then he left to go out and he didn’t come home back. Then we get the call that he was dead.”
Peters maintained that his brother was not a criminal but in fact a hard worker, who cleaned fish at the Meadow Bank wharf to support his three children.
“I don’t think my brother ever had a gun because I never see a gun yet in my life and I hear people saying that my brother surrendered and the police still kill he. I don’t know what is going on here because (President David) Granger said not to shoot anyone,” Peters said.
He added that the death of his brother is a tragedy and his family is devastated, especially his eldest brother who is currently serving a jail sentence in prison.
While Peters said that he could not recall why his brother was charged, this newspaper was able to confirm that 30-year-old Quincy Letlow was remanded to prison on several occasions for robbery under arms.
Jamal Letlow, on the other hand, was shot in 2014 when he grabbed a gold chain from a 14-year-old passenger while disembarking a mini bus.
An alarm was raised and a city constabulary, who was in the area at the time, responded and shot Letlow to the buttocks.
In 2015, the father of three was charged for stealing a motorcycle from Shawn Edu and in 2012, Letlow was among three persons who robbed Ramsarran of $8,000.
While Kaieteur News was unable to get information on Shaquille Fraser, there are reports that the 22-year-old man was involved in at least two robberies.
Kaieteur News understands that the men were killed minutes after carrying out a robbery at the Seaforth Street residence.
A man, who was at the function said that the bandits both armed with guns, came at the gate and requested to speak with “Kevin.”
The man, who declined to divulge his name, said that he told the men that no “Kevin” was there. It was then the bandits whipped out their firearms and demanded that the occupants remain still.
One of the bandits searched almost everyone present at the event and took away cash, jewellery and other valuables. The other gunman ransacked the home and made off with several cellular phones and other items.
An alarm was raised just as the bandits escaped and ranks on the patrol managed to track down the two armed men who sought refuge in the churchyard behind Campbellville Secondary School.
The armed men allegedly shot at the police, but were riddled during the ensuing shoot-out.
One .38 revolver and one spent shell were recovered along with five live matching rounds
waiting identification.