Execution goes wrong; – intented target shoots one
October 5- 2019.
What would have otherwise been an execution yesterday at the East La Penitence Georgetown Market, took a sudden turn when the victim escaped and returned fire, injuring one of the three men who were out to kill him.
public spirited citizens as they moved the injured man to a waiting vehicle, to seek medical attention.
the injured John Lewis as he lay bleeding by the roadside yesterday
The injured, John Lewis, 22, of East Ruimveldt, Georgetown is currently under police guard at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), nursing a gunshot wound to the abdomen and the left arm.
Around 11:40 hrs the somewhat calm market scene erupted into one of chaos and terror as three men jumped from a black Toyota Primio car and fired shots at an unnamed, somewhat stoutly built man. Our reporter was standing at a food stall just a few yards away.
The car which was driving slowly along the East La Penitence Public Road, stopped a short distance from the Twins Drug Store and three men hurriedly existed. They headed in the direction of a fruit stall on the southern side of the road, from which a man suddenly began to run. The three men gave chase, one of them firing shots wildly from a handgun.
Vendors scattered in all directions, abandoning cash and sales items, while pedestrians dashed for cover inside stores, restaurants and bars. But it was the spectacle that was unfolding that was more chilling. The man continued to fire shots as the group gave chase, but their intended victim was fast on his feet, sprinting in a ‘zig zag fashion’, in a desperate bid to evade the bullets.
He made it safely to the vicinity of the beer garden at the junction of James Street and East La Penitence Public Road, before whipping out a firearm and returning fire on his assailants. Suddenly one of the men screamed in pain and slumped to the ground, in the middle of the road, blood spurting from a wound below his left ribs.
As the victim continued to fire shots at his attackers they retreated, and began looking frantically for their getaway car. But the driver witnessing his accomplice getting shot, apparently drove off in fear, forcing both men to make their escape on foot in the direction of Albouystown.
The men before making their escape, dragged the injured Lewis to the road shoulders where they left him bleeding, shouting, “We got yuh budday; we gon come back fuh yuh”
A large crowd soon gathered around the injured man who was bleeding profusely from the gunshot wounds.
Police sources have related that the injured man said the execution was attempted over a ‘deal that went sour’, indicating that the victim whom they attempted to execute owes them large sums of cash in a ‘business deal’ in which he failed to meet his end of the bargain.
The injured Lewis is under close watch by police at the GPHC where he is hospitalized.
Linden gang war turns bloody…Gunmen in car chase down and execute man, wound girlfriend
An escalating gang war turned bloody on Saturday night, when gunmen in hoodies executed an ex-cop’s brother and wounded his 20-year-old girlfriend at Amelia’s Ward, after chasing them down in a car.
Dead is Eon Williams, the cousin of former policeman Teon Allen, who is suspected to be the leader of a gang in the mining town.
His girlfriend, 20-year-old Melita Antigua, also known as Onika Benjamin, a teacher, was reportedly shot in the leg and back and is said to be in a stable condition at the Linden Hospital Complex.
A police source revealed that Williams travelled in a black Nissan Duke PYY 732, to pick up his young girlfriend and drop her off at a birthday party at around 20:00hrs.
Melita Antigua entered the car where she and Williams were reportedly chatting when the gunmen, in another vehicle, opened fire.
The couple drove to Lover’s Lane, Amelia’s Ward, with the gunmen in pursuit.
It was then the couple exited the car in a bid to escape. They were however run down by the gunmen who riddled Williams and shooting his girlfriend in the leg and back.
GUNNED DOWN: Eon Williams
WOUNDED: Melita Antigua
The badly wounded couple was rushed to hospital where Williams succumbed.
The gunmen escaped on foot after ditching their vehicle.
Reports indicate that the shooting began between First and Third Streets, Amelia’s Ward, Linden and ended at Lover’s Lane.
Based on reports, a Black Nissan was seen trailing Williams in the Amelia’s Ward area, early Saturday night. The occupants later opened fire on Williams car.
Commander of E Division, Superintendent Ramesh Ashram has meanwhile said that so far there have been no arrests, in relation to the incident.
It is believed that Williams was slain in retaliation for a shooting allegedly committed by his cousin, Teon Allen, also known as “Spoiled Child.”
According to some reports, the first incident was perpetrated by notorious ex-policeman Teon Allen, aka ‘Spoil Child.’
However Allen, who was recently charged with the offence, refuted the allegation, and was released on $500,000 bail.
Allen was one of fourteen men, recently arrested by police, under suspicion of gang violence and other incidents, perpetrated in the mining Town..
The ex-policeman was charged last month with discharging a loaded firearm.
He was released on $50,000 bail.
He only surrendered after police issued a wanted bulletin which stated that the Lobora Creek, Linden and Wismar, Linden resident was wanted for questioning in relation for attempted murder, over allegedly shooting at Denise Grant and Tiffany Mc Deth.
Allen was charged in August, 2017 for harbouring wanted man Mark Royden Williams and Uree Varswyck, who broke out of the Camp Street Prison on July 09, 2017, when the prison was razed by rioting inmates.
That very year, Allen was among three men who were charged for the illegal possession of an AK-47 and rounds. They were apprehended after police raided a house at John Street, Campbellville, Georgetown.
The vehicle Williams and his girlfriend were travelling in which came under heavy gunfire
Police ranks from Linden combing the area for spent shells
Allen was previously charged for numerous offences, including robbery under-arms.
Early last month, ranks from the police’s Major Crimes Investigations and Tactical Services Units arrested 14 men at Linden who are believed to be members of two gangs creating havoc in the region.
Police had said that some of the men were being investigated for a range of offences including arson, possession of military paraphernalia, six suspected incendiary devices, unlawful possession of a motorcycle, and fraudulent imitation of an identification mark.
Police sources have indicated that the operation is a direct result and spin-off of the ongoing gang wars between the ‘Mob Family’ and a gang reportedly being headed by Allen.
One gang reportedly has connections in Cayenne, and is well known as the Cayenne Gang.
The members of these gangs are reportedly battling for turf rights. Up to late yesterday afternoon, police had not issued an official statement on the William’s killing.
However only four out of the fourteen were charged.
Those charged were Rodwell Fraser, Lennox Adrian Webster, Yuriel Lewis and Lennox Estwick.
Fraser was released on $20, 000 bail while Estwick was released on $5, 000 bail.
Webster and Lewis were fined $10, 000 and ordered to do community Service.
Several residents of Amelia’s Ward, had expressed satisfaction with the work of the police after the men were arrested.
However, Saturday night’s incident, has resulted in vociferous calls for increased police patrols in the community.
Three bandits die in shootout with police on Norton Street - Stabroek News
The Lot 46 Norton Street home where the bandits were shot and killed last night
Three bandits were killed in a shootout last night with police in Norton Street, Lodge that saw the area transformed into a battle zone with bullets flying.
The bandits had held a 40-year-old man and his son at gunpoint in his Norton Street home while they demanded valuables after learning that someone had arrived in the country.
According to information reaching Stabroek News, two of the dead bandits have so far been identified as 25-year-old Shawn Browne Jr. and Junior Nurse, while the other man remains unidentified.
According to Neville Leslie, a construction worker, around 8:30 pm he was in the kitchen with his son and was proceeding to lock his front door when one of the bandits jumped over his fence and pointed a gun in his face before demanding gold and money.
" alt="" /> “I said what gold and what money and they asked what about the girl that come in the country, where she deh. I said man me ain’t understand what you asking and me ain’t got nothing inside,” Leslie recalled.
Subsequently, two other men appeared, also armed with guns, and forced him into the house before locking the door.
The three men took the man and his five-year-old son to the top flat of the house and started searching and ransacking the entire house.
“They put me in one of the bedroom and put me to lie down with my son and tell me they gon shoot my son and shoot me if me ain’t find the gold and money and give them,” the visibly-traumatised Leslie recalled, while adding that his son kept asking him if they were going to shoot them.
The men checked Leslie and continued inquiring about gold and money before one of the bandits turned to his accomplice and said “we gon gotto do this man like we does do everybody else.”
After he kept telling the bandits that he did not have any gold or money, the men assaulted him and kept “slapping me up in my face” before they took him into the “back room” while he kept praying for the police to appear.
While they were in the room with the man, a passing GPF patrol was alerted by neighbours about strange men entering Leslie’s home. The police subsequently took up tactical positions in front of the house by which time the bandits were alerted about the police’s presence.
Right after the police arrived, the three bandits stormed out of the room and went down the stairs in an apparent bid to escape. This prompted Leslie to block the door with barrels and other objects.
“One of them force back and come in and end up going back out and I lock up the whole bedroom, tek out some louvres from the window and let my son down and a police collected him and then I jump through the window,” Leslie recalled, while stating that he broke one of his toes in the process.
Prior to jumping out of the window, he said that he heard an exchange of fire between the bandits and police, and one of them complaining about being in pain from being shot.
When Stabroek News arrived at the scene after 9 pm last night, two other squads of officers had arrived on the scene to provide back up for the first, as well as a bus load of police.
Minutes after, an exchange of rapid gunfire could be heard as curious residents looked on from the sides of the road.
The bandits remained in the house and up to 9:30 pm there was a continuous exchange of gunfire which prompted nearby residents and police officers to take cover.
It wasn’t until around 9:47 when the SWAT team arrived that the exchange of gunfire subsided and the police brought out three bodies from the yard and placed them in the back of one of their vans and took them to the Georgetown Public Hospital.
Right after the police brought the bodies of the three bandits out of the house the crowd of residents erupted in applause and thanked the police for a “job well done.”
During the gunfire some of them kept chanting “kill them, kill them, we fed up, we fed up.”
At the hospital, Browne’s and Nurse’s families were greeted with the news of their deaths and broke down in tears. Browne’s mother, who did not want to be named, said she saw her son around 8:30 pm before a friend came for him. She said that the man told her that he was going “around the corner” and would be back soon.
During the exchange of gunfire, a female police officer, Clarke, was shot in her right knee and is currently at the hospital in a stable condition.
Robbery suspect shot dead by police; fiery protest erupts in Leopold St.
Police were prevented from entering part of Leopold Street, Georgetown, yesterday after residents blocked the streets and burned tyres in retaliation to the killing of a robbery suspect , 35-year-old Orin Odinga Williams, who was shot by police at around 01:45 hours.
The items that were recovered by police
A section of the barricades yesterday.
A ‘protestor’ prepares to throw a barrel into a burning heap as police look on in the background
While there have been several accounts surrounding the death of Williams, Police are saying that they suspect that Williams was part of a group of men that held four persons at gunpoint at Hadfield Street, Georgetown ,and relieved them of their belongings.
Police said that four cellular phones, a quantity of cash and documents were taken from the victims. Police were informed and immediately went after the suspects who fled after the robbery.
According to the police, one of the suspects dismounted and pulled out a firearm in the vicinity of Norton and Bishop Streets, Werk-en-Rust, and discharged two rounds in the direction of the pursuing ranks, who returned fire with their service weapons. During the confrontation, one of the suspects (Williams) was wounded.
The injured man was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The other suspects subsequently escaped. One .38 revolver, one live round and two spent shells were recovered along with a quantity of cannabis, three cellular phones, a yellow metal chain, $10,900 and a backpack. Two of the phones were identified by the victim as theirs.
RELATIVES HAVE A DIFFERENT VERSION
On the other hand, relatives and residents had a different version of what transpired. They said that Williams was reportedly heading home to his girlfriend on his bike when he was confronted by two ranks of the Guyana Police Force who were said to be on a yellow motorcycle and dressed in their uniform.
The residents claim that Williams was initially shot in Norton Street, a short distance from his home. They claimed that the ranks called for “backup” and later took him to Princes Street and into the cemetery. They further claimed that persons in the area recalled hearing multiple gunshots.
They said Williams was not dead when they initially saw him, and according to them, he cried out for his girlfriend saying, “Carry me home to meh woman. Ah want Candacy,” after his pleas to be taken to the hospital went unheard by police.
He was then reportedly thrown into the back of a Police patrol vehicle and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Meanwhile, when this publication arrived at the scene at the junction of Leopold and Breda Streets, it was blocked with a number of blue barrels and old refrigerators.
Proceeding further up Breda Street, there were a number of persons lining the street on both sides. At the intersection, the crowd doubled in size.
Loud music as well as gunshots were heard, and there was a lot of thick, black smoke emanating due to the burning of old tyres and garbage. A fire tender was dispatched to the scene along with several firemen. Attempts to put out the blaze were rendered futile, as angry residents hurled objects at the firefighters.
The front windshield and left side passenger window of the fire tender were shattered. Residents as well as relatives of the deceased were out in their numbers, some of them covered their faces leaving only their eyes exposed, to obviously conceal their identity. They were observed imbibing and playing very loud dancehall music, while voicing their dissatisfaction over the manner in which their friend was killed.
SENSELESS KILLING
A sister of the dead man, who preferred not to be named, said that her brother had recently returned to Guyana as he was residing in Cayenne, French Guiana, for the past 15 years and “basically couldn’t be called a Guyanese.”
“They just shoot he up and take off all his things, we ain’t get back nothing,” she lamented. The woman said that her brother normally wears a lot of gold jewellery and he never goes anywhere without them. Other relatives as well as residents confirmed that this was the case, as he was a very “fashionable and flashy” individual.
The woman went on to say that they were not out there because they wanted to obstruct the peace, but were seeking justice for his “senseless killing.” She claimed that relatives were waiting at the hospital since around 01:45hrs after receiving news that her brother was shot. However, according to her, his lifeless body arrived at the hospital a few hours after.
Another sister of the dead man, identified as Omesha Murphy, claimed that her brother was shot and robbed of cash and his jewellery. She said that, “He was going home to his wife; they shoot he up and rob he. We gotta get justice for my brother’s death.
“He ain’t get a robbery charge, he ain’t get a murder charge, he ain’t known to no police…so I don’t know why they kill me brother,” a grieving Murphy lamented. A number of other persons expressed anger at the manner in which the police handled the matter.
Investigations are ongoing.
