Petty drug dealer kills cop, self during bungled arrest

Dead cop, Antonio Dawson

By: Romila Boodram

A knife-wielding drug dealer stabbed a 26-year-old policeman to death then slashed his own throat and stabbed himself to death, during a bungled arrest attempt at the Houston Fishing Complex, yesterday.

Police Constable Antonio Dawson, an Impact base rank, was stabbed at least four times to the chest, while trying to arrest the suspect, identified as Frederick James. This happened shortly after 9:30 hours.

Dawson, a father of two of Lot 100 Murphy Street, Good Intent, West Bank Demerara (WBD), was stabbed to the neck, chest and abdomen. He succumbed at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation some hours later.

His killer slashed his own throat and stabbed himself. He died not long after at the scene. Police sources said ranks recovered a quantity of cocaine; marijuana, condoms and ecstasy from the dead man’s pockets. A knife was also recovered.

Kaieteur News understands that police had received information that Frederick James was selling ecstasy, and at around 09.00 hrs, ranks from the Police Marine Patrol spotted him sitting on the wharf at Houston.

According to a source, the ranks approached James and requested that the suspect subject himself to a search. Instead, James reportedly grabbed one of the ranks, pressed a knife to his body and said “Al you search me nuh?”

It is alleged that the suspect then released the policeman and was heading to an area near Gafoors Shopping Complex, when an Impact Base patrol, which had been alerted, approached him.

Police said that the ranks, including Constable Dawson, tried to arrest him, James pulled out a knife and stabbed Dawson several times. Police said that the suspect then stabbed himself and also slit his throat. The knife was recovered by the police.

At the scene yesterday, eyewitnesses said that ranks from the marine section were at the wharf carrying out regular inspections of the fishing vessels when they noticed a man with what appeared to be marijuana in his possession.

They requested to search him but he objected and walked away after pushing away one of the marine ranks.

According to information, the ranks from the marine called the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Impact Base and requested assistance. Three police ranks, including Dawson responded.

An employee attached to the Gafoors Shopping Complex told this newspaper, “We see this man (suspect) walking with a juice in his hand like a normal person. Then we see three plainclothes police (men) at the back of him but like this man didn’t know them police went tailing he. One police had a gun, another had a metal and one had a piece of wood”

“The police at the back signaled some other police who were in front but I don’t think the man saw the police in front of him because they went a little far.”

Kaieteur News was further told that the ranks who were walking at the back of the suspect confronted him.

“Only one of them had gun and the suspect pulled out a knife from his waist. We see the police talking to the man. Maybe they were reasoning him to put down his knife. After some time, one of the police lower his weapon and the man hold onto him and stabbed him,” the eyewitness said.

At this time, Dawson’s weapon fell out of his hands.

“This man just stabbing he (Dawson) and when the other police pull he away, he (suspect) stab himself and then slit his throat. Like the other police who went to offer assistance were scared to shoot de man,” the eyewitness said.

He said too that shots were fired after the suspect had stabbed the rank and slit his own throat.

Meanwhile, other police ranks, after learning what had happened said that they could understand why their colleagues were scared to open fire.

“First the police tried to reason with this man. The other police were at the back of the suspect. If they had shot the suspect from the back then they would have got into trouble. They would have been placed under arrest,” a police said.

Kaieteur News was also told that the attack on Dawson happened in seconds.

At the hospital yesterday, the dead policeman’s relatives broke down in tears when they heard that the man had died.

His brother, Sean Dawson, said that he was at home when he received a phone call from someone who informed him that his sibling had been shot.

Police ranks and officers, including Commander of ‘A’ Division Clifton Hicken and other senior officials turned up at the hospital to offer their condolences to the slain policeman’s relatives.

Police Commissioner, Seelall Persaud, and other officials also visited the rank’s parents, Neville and Yvonne Dawson, at their Good Intent home late yesterday.

Antonio Dawson had joined the force a little over a year ago.

The Ministry of Presidency in a statement said, “The President, Ministers and staff of the Ministry of the Presidency would like to extend sincere condolences to the family members and friends of the late Constable Antonio Dawson, who lost his life while on active duty today (yesterday).”

The release added, “While we acknowledge that this is indeed a difficult time for the family, we hope that comfort can be taken from the fact that he died not only as a guardian of our liberty but also as a true embodiment of the spirit of service to a cause greater than ourselves.

“Our nation is grateful for the dedication, pride and service of Constable Dawson who risked his life to ensure the safety of our neighbourhoods and citizens. Our thoughts and prayers remain with you (the relatives) in this difficult time.”