Prisoner disarms cop, shoots detective

dead

A police constable was shot dead late yesterday after he went into a yard in Fourth Street, Alberttown to recapture an escaped prisoner and recover his colleague’s gun.

Detective Corporal Silburn Elias

Around 19:00hrs, the prisoner managed to snatch a .38 revolver belonging to the dead cop’s colleague who had escorted him to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) to seek medical assistance.
Dead is 45-year-old Detective Corporal 14998 Silburn Elias, a father of four, of Buxton, East Coast Demerara.
Elias, who spent the last 25 years of his life in the Guyana Police Force, was shot twice at close range by the prisoner – to the left side chest and abdomen.
He died while receiving treatment at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.
Police in a statement, said that about 19:00hrs yesterday, Corporal Elias was shot and killed by a prisoner who had earlier managed to escape from police custody after disarming a police constable.
The prisoner has been identified as Delon Abrams, 23, of South Ruimveldt, Georgetown. He had been arrested by public-spirited persons and handed over to the police following an alleged break and enter and larceny committed on a home at Turkeyen.
Abrams had received injuries prior to his arrest and was being escorted by a constable, who was armed with his service .38 revolver, for medical treatment at the GPHC, when in the hospital compound he managed to overpower the policeman, take away his firearm and escape.
The release added that Abrams was pursued by police ranks who caught up with him in a yard at Fourth Street, Alberttown.
While trying to arrest the prisoner, a scuffle ensued during which an unarmed Corporal Elias was shot to his left side.
The prisoner was eventually recaptured and is now at the Brickdam Police Station.
A female eyewitness claims that she arrived at the hospital around 14:00hrs yesterday and saw the young cop guarding the prisoner.
“That policeman was there long, long and he went to the nurse about three times to tell her about his patient, but the nurse asked him to wait. The prisoner told him that he wanted to defecate and the police went with him into the washroom and took-off his handcuffs,” the woman explained.
She added that minutes after the police and his prisoner left to go into the washroom, both of them ran out. “The prisoner got on top of him and he over-powered the rank. He tore off the cop’s shirt and run out of the hospital. The cop run out behind him and everybody in the hospital started to scatter.”
At the hospital last night, Commissioner of Police, Leroy Brumell related what was told to him by his officers. He promised that a thorough investigation will be conducted.
“I believe that there was some level of negligence involved in this situation and it will be investigated. The cop (whose weapon was snatched) is a young officer who just came out of training school,” the Commissioner stressed.
At the hospital yesterday scores of curious onlookers gathered in front of the hospital’s Emergency Unit to get a glimpse of the injured cop when he was taken to the hospital.
After Elias passed away, ranks were seen at all corners of the hospital relating the tragic incident to other officers.
Police Officers were left staring at the rank who broke the news of their colleague’s death to them. Female ranks upon hearing that Elias had died broke down in tears.
His wife, Alana, refused to speak to the media at the hospital. However, later, during a telephone interview, she said that hearing the news that her husband had passed away was the most difficult time for her.

‘A’ Division Police Commander, George Vyphuis (second left) and other senior law enforcement officials at the hospital last evening.

, “It is very difficult for me. How do I get my children to believe that their father is not coming home anymore? I told them that their dad is dead and they don’t believe. The eight-year-old boy is named after his dad and when I told him that his father passed away, he’s just refusing to sleep. He said he is waiting until his daddy comes home before he goes and sleeps.”
The woman, who simply could not hold back her tears, lamented “I don’t understand how this could happen. He was an excellent father, a loving husband, a truly good person at heart. I could not ask for more.”
A police officer who was with Elias an hour before he died recalled how cheerful he was. “We were all making jokes and he was laughing. I could have never imagined that my ‘squaddie’ would have died after I left him.”
Several residents of the Buxton Community who were acquainted with the now dead cop described him as a fair officer and one who was always willing to help anyone in need.
A police officer who was at the hospital yesterday said, “Elias was an excellent officer. He was a clean cop. He didn’t give problems. He was a good man at heart too. It is real sad what happen to him yuh know, because I didn’t know him personally, but I use to see how disciplined he was. He was a real cool guy. I am so sorry these things happen to good people.”
Delon Abrams had several brushes with the law since he was a teenager.