Family of miner calls for swift justice as shooter roams free

One week after 46-year-old Mark McLean of Lot 681 Toucan Drive, South Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was shot and killed by a serving member of the Guyana Police Force, his family is calling for justice to be served.

The incident took place two Saturdays ago as the now dead man was visiting a shop at Stevedore, South Ruimveldt.
It was reported that the deceased and the shooter got into a heated argument which stemmed from old grievances. It was during the exchange of words that the cop drew his service weapon and shot McLean several times about his body.
However, the police have painted a different picture. The police accused the now dead man of attacking the cop and his friends as part of an attempted robbery. They claimed that he was carrying a firearm.

Further, Police stated that McLean then advanced on the policeman, pointing a pistol at

him, but in retaliation, the cop drew his service pistol and discharged four rounds in the direction of McLean, who fell to the ground and remained motionless.
No charges were thus far instituted against the shooter.
The dead man’s reputed wife of six years, Amanda McDonald told Guyana Times that the police are giving the family a hard time to access information as to what really transpired on the night of the fatal shooting.
“I have not heard anything from the police. I was at the station just to do the signing of the statement and we received the body from the post-mortem and that is about it. When I asked who is in charge and if anything lodge at the station they said I have to check back sometime during the week because the Inspector wasn’t there,” McDonald stated.
In fact, the dead man’s family is contending that the police are covering up the matter. As such, the family is pleading for justice.
According to his niece, Onika McLean “the policeman shot him first in the side, one to the head and then to the back. If somebody go to rob you, why would you shoot them to the head? They wrong my uncle and we need justice. He was wrong deal. He didn’t approach nobody to rob them.”
The dead man’s sister, Rachel McLean, made a special call for a thorough investigation into her brother’s murder and for the culprit to face the full force of the law.
“I am simply saying that Mark McLean was murdered since he was shot multiple times and we need justice. We need someone to look into this,” the younger McLean posited.
She stated that in March 2019, McLean was charged for the cultivation of illegal plants and narcotics trafficking.
“A few weeks ago, that same officer shot behind my uncle but my uncle ran. Now the boy that shot him is the children mother’s cousin. We need justice for [him] and the police ain’t saying nothing. We don’t know Mark to be in any robbery story. The most does be weed, to be honest,” the woman added.
Meanwhile, when contacted, Public Relations Officer of the GPF, Senior Superintendent Jairam Ramlakhan could not confirm whether or not the police rank who was involved in the shooting was placed under close arrest. (Shemar Alleyne)