TERROR
IN
THE
CITY:
POLICEMAN
shot
dead
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(composite
photo)
This
burgandy
Carina
car,
HA
9402,
was
abandoned
by
the
gunmen
at
the
corner
of
Stone
Avenue
and
First
Street,
Campbellville.
The
gunmen
reportedly
then
boarded
this
Silver
Grey
Carina,
PHH
5550,
which
was
they
abandoned
on
the
Railway
Embankment
Road
in
the
vicinity
of
Blyzeight
Gardens.
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HEAVILY
armed
men
went
on
a
rampage
in
the
City
yesterday,
robbing
business
places
and
terrorising
shoppers
and
staff
alike
before
fleeing
the
scene
in
one
of
the
most
daring
and
dramatic
escape
bids
by
gunmen
since
the
February
23
jailbreak.
A
policeman
was
shot
dead
in
the
drama
and
at
least
three
other
persons
were
injured
in
the
early
morning
incident
which
led
Police
into
the
backlands
of
several
East
Coast
villages
in
search
of
the
men.
Quincy
James
is
the
11th
Policeman
to
have
been
shot
and
killed
since
the
crime
wave
which
gripped
the
country
following
the
infamous
Mash
Day
jailbreak.
Three
business
places
on
Regent
Street
-
the
Esso
Gas
Station
at
the
corner
of
Regent
and
King
Street,
and
Gobin's
and
Alim
Shah's
stores
opposite
the
gas
station
were
attacked
while
evidence
of
the
heavy
gunfire
was
left
on
other
business
premises.
The
gunmen
shattered
this
showcase
at
the
Esso
Supermarket
which
was
came
under
heavy
attack
from
the
gunmen
yesterday.
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Eyewitnesses
recalled
hearing
the
rapid
gunfire
around
9:00
hrs
in
the
bandit's
bid
to
escape
which
sent
them
diving
for
cover.
Some
ran
into
stores
which
were
open
for
business
while
others
simply
crouched
where
they
were,
fearing
that
they
might
be
caught
in
the
crossfire.
One
man,
who
was
totally
oblivious
of
the
events
then,
recalled
sprinting
with
other
groups
of
persons
who
were
running
for
cover.
He
said
that
though
he
was
not
aware
of
what
was
transpiring,
he
saw
it
only
fitting
to
run
for
safety
and
then
ask
questions.
There
was
a
heavy
build-up
of
traffic
in
the
vicinity
of
the
scene
as
drivers
quickly
slammed
their
brakes
and
desperately
tried
to
divert
through
other
streets.
A
man
commented
that
the
gunmen
apparently
mis-took
the
busy
shopping
area
on
Regent
Street
for
the
"wild-west"
and
began
shooting
indiscriminately
while
another
commented
that
the
daring
shootout
was
like
a
scene
he
saw
in
the
"ganster
movies".
The
gunmen
threw
a
molotov
cocktail
(channa
bomb)
inside
Alim
Shah's
store
on
Regent
Street
which
exploded
and
burnt
garments
and
other
items
on
sale
in
the
store.
Fortunately,
no
one
was
injured,
although
staff
and
customers
in
the
premises
at
the
time
got
the
scare
of
their
life.
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As
word
quickly
spread
about
the
shooting,
storeowners
shut
tight
the
doors
to
their
premises.
Employers
and
employees
alike
were
visibly
shaken
and
terrified
when
this
newspaper
visited
the
scene
sometime
later.
Some
stores
even
had
to
lock
frightened
customers
inside
their
premises
and
away
from
the
hail
of
bullets.
Assistant
Superintendent
of
Police,
Mr.
David
Ramnarine,
in
a
release
yesterday
afternoon,
said
the
Police
are
investigating
a
series
of
incidents
which
include
several
reports
of
hijacking
of
vehicles
and
the
fatal
shooting
of
a
Policeman
by
bandits,
which
occurred
between
9:00
and
9:30
hrs
yesterday
morning
in
the
City.
Ramnarine
said
the
first
report
stated
that
about
9:00
hrs,
a
burgandy
coloured
motor-car
HA
9402,
was
hijacked
on
Sheriff
Street
by
two
armed
bandits
who
placed
the
driver
in
the
back
seat
of
the
vehicle
and
drove
into
town.
According
to
him,
it
was
reported
subsequently
that
minibus
BGG
1031
was
hijacked
in
the
vicinity
of
Regent
and
King
Streets,
by
two
armed
bandits.
The
Police
release
said
another
report
indicated
that
"three
unmasked
bandits,
armed
with
long
guns
entered
Gobin's
Variety
Store
and
Cambio
at
the
corner
of
Regent
and
King
Streets
and
discharged
several
rounds,
causing
the
businessman
and
employees
to
run
and
abandon
the
property,
leaving
the
sum
of
2.5
million
dollars
and
an
undisclosed
amount
of
foreign
currency,
unattended".
This
vehicle
which
was
parked
opposite
the
Esso
Gas
Station,
belonging
to
Broadway
fashions,
was
riddled
with
bullet
holes
in
yesterday's
shootout.
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"It
is
alleged
that
the
bandits
stole
the
money
and
escaped
in
the
vehicle
which
were
previously
hijacked
and
waiting,"
the
Police
asserted.
This
newspaper
was
unable
to
confirm
if
the
money
was
actually
stolen.
The
Police
release
also
stated:
"Simultaneously,
two
heavily
armed
bandits
attacked
and
fatally
shot
Police
Constable
19219
James
of
Traffic,
Brickdam,
who
was
on
traffic
duty
at
the
same
junction.
He
was
shot
several
times
in
the
chest
and
was
pronounced
dead
on
arrival
at
the
Hospital.
The
bandits
continued
firing
indiscriminately
while
making
good
their
escape
in
three
motor
vehicles,
spraying
bullets
onto
several
business
places
and
vehicles
which
were
in
the
vicinity
of
Regent
and
King
Streets,
causing
damage
to
some.
A
channa
bomb
was
also
thrown
into
the
store
(Alim
Shah)
which
caused
a
fire,
which
was
extinguished
by
the
employees.
AT
least
two
large
bullet
holes
are
seen
in
this
fuel
pump
at
the
Esso
Service
Station.
Fortunately,
this
pump
was
not
working
at
the
time
and
as
such
contained
no
fuel.
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At
the
junction
of
Regent
and
Wellington
Streets,
the
bandits
fired
several
shots
at
the
Guyoil
Gas
Station,
damaging
a
diesel
fuel
pump
and
a
police
booth.
On
arrival
at
Regent
and
Camp
Streets,
they
opened
fire
on
a
Traffic
Policeman
who
was
on
duty
but
he
was
not
hit.
The
Policeman
dashed
for
cover
and
received
minor
injuries
during
the
process.
The
bandits
then
hijacked
motorcar
PHH
5550
at
the
said
junction.
One
of
the
vehicles,
motorcar
HA
9402
was
later
found
abandoned
at
Stone
Avenue
and
First
Street,
Campbellville,
with
extensive
damage
done
to
the
front
portion.
It
is
reported
that
the
bandits
escaped
in
a
white
motorcar
after
abandoning
this
vehicle.
PHH
5550
was
later
found
abandoned
at
Conversation
Tree,
East
Coast
Demerara,
while
minibus
BGG
1051,
which
was
hijacked
at
Regent
and
King
Street,
was
detained
by
the
Police
at
Plaisance,
East
Coast
Demerara.
The
driver
and
conductor
of
this
minibus
are
in
Police
custody
pending
enquires.
Police
on
alert
on
the
Railway
Embankment
Road
in
the
vicinity
of
Blyzeight
Gardens
where
one
of
the
cars
was
abandoned. |
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Information
at
our
disposal
suggests
that
the
bandits
used
this
minibus
to
take
them
to
Plaisance
backdam
where
they
hijacked
four
motorcycles
from
estate
employees.
Resulting
from
these
incidents,
two
persons,
presumably
innocent
bystanders
at
Regent
and
King
Streets,
received
injuries.
One
received
a
gunshot
wound
to
the
left
upper
back
and
is
receiving
medical
attention
while
the
other
sustained
bruises
to
the
face
and
was
treated
and
sent
away.
Fragments
of
a
channa
bomb
were
found
at
the
scene
of
the
shooting
on
Regent
Street.
Police
are
continuing
an
exercise
in
pursuit
of
these
bandits,
in
the
backlands
of
the
East
Demerara
Sugar
Estates
with
a
view
to
apprehend
them."
Meanwhile,
this
newspaper
was
informed
that
at
least
two
of
the
gunmen
were
seen
strutting
along
Regent
Street
during
the
shootout.
"It
was
like
a
gangster-style
movie,"
one
witness
stated.
The
Esso
gas
station
in
Regent
Street
came
under
heavy
gunfire
in
the
brazen
attack
and
two
Molotov
Cocktails
(channa
bombs),
made
with
'Heinekin
Beer'
bottles
were
reportedly
thrown
into
the
service
station.
Pump
attendants
there
noted
that
luckily
there
was
no
explosion.
The
Esso
Gas
station
was
also
sprayed
with
bullets
and
at
least
three
large
windows/showcase
panels
(glass)
were
shattered.
Bullet
holes
were
visible
on
one
of
the
four
fuel
pumps
in
the
station.
According
to
a
Pump
Attendant,
the
bullets
pierced
one
fuel
pump
which
was
not
working
at
the
time
and
which
did
not
contain
fuel.
He
said
if
the
bullet
had
pierced
any
of
the
other
three
pumps,
it
might
have
caused
an
explosion.
A
number
of
vehicles
were
damaged
in
the
shootout.
A
vehicle
parked
opposite
the
gas
station,
which
belongs
to
Broadway
fashions,
was
riddled
with
bullet
holes.
Meanwhile,
an
employee
at
Alim
Shah's
store
recalled
that
as
they
tried
to
close
the
store,
two
armed
men
ran
in
and
ordered
them
not
to
move
or
they
will
be
shot.
"We
didn't
move,
but
we
lie
down
flat
on
the
floor
on
our
belly...they
opened
a
back
door
at
the
side
where
everybody
managed
to
get
away
at
the
back...,"
one
of
them
related.
The
employees
said
one
of
the
men
then
opened
a
channa
bomb
which
ignited
and
burnt
some
of
the
cloth,
which
were
on
sale.
They
said
the
men
were
unmasked.
This
newspaper
also
understands
that
when
the
bandits
abandoned
their
vehicle
on
the
Railway
Embankment
Road,
they
headed
down
to
somewhere
between
Plaisance
and
Better
Hope
on
the
East
Coast
where
they
escaped
into
the
GUYSUCO
canefields.
There,
it
is
understood
that
the
gunmen
took
away
four
motorcycles
from
Field
Supervisors
of
GUYSUCO
who
were
at
the
time
working
in
the
backdam/canefields.
A
senior
official
of
the
LBI
sugar
estate
admitted
that
the
bandits
seized
four
motorcycles
belonging
to
GUYSUCO
and
which
were
being
used
at
the
time
by
four
Field
Supervisors
doing
their
routine
duties
in
the
canefields
aback
the
Better
Hope/Plaisance
area.
The
official,
who
prefers
not
to
be
named,
told
this
newspaper
that
the
Field
Supervisors
were
on
duty
in
the
backdam
when
they
encountered
the
fleeing
gunmen
who
took
away
their
motor-cycles
with
ease.
The
bandits
took
one
of
the
Field
Supervisors
with
them,
apparently
to
guide
them
through
the
backdam
while
the
other
bandits
sped
through
the
backdam
on
the
other
three
motorcycles.
Sources
told
this
newspaper
that
upon
reaching
the
Lusignan/Annandale
backdam,
the
bandits
abandoned
two
of
the
motorcycles
while
they
allowed
the
badly-shaken
and
traumatised
GUYSUCO
employee
to
ride
away
on
his
motorcycle.
It
is
understood
that
none
of
the
Supervisors
were
harmed
physically,
though
badly
traumatised
and
terrorised.
The
Police
recovered
the
other
two
abandoned
motorcycles
while
the
bandits
apparently
abandoned
the
fourth
closer
to
the
Buxton
area.
And
in
another
twist
to
the
drama,
the
bandits,
apparently
realising
that
all
of
them
could
not
escape
on
the
four
motorcycles,
stopped
two
other
GUYSUCO
employees
in
the
backdam
(Better
Hope)
and
took
away
their
bicycles.
They
rode
away
on
the
bicycles
somewhere
up
to
the
Chatteau
Margot/Success
area
(backdam)
where
they
abandoned
the
cycles
and
subsequently
escaped
on
foot,
believed
to
be
through
the
village.
By
the
end
of
the
almost
one-hour
high-profile
drama,
the
daring
bandits
had
used
almost
all
of
the
modes
of
ground
transport
--
bicycle,
motorcycles,
car,
minibus
and
on
foot
-
in
their
desperate
bid
to
escape.
