Man dies in police custody after allegedly stabbing security guard

– OPR launches investigation

Delon Lawrence, a 38-year-old labourer, died after a violent altercation aboard a minibus, and a subsequent confrontation with police and public-spirited citizens along the La Grange Public Road, West Bank Demerara (WBD).

Lawrence, of Lot 10 De Kinderen Housing Scheme, West Coast Demerara (WCD), was pronounced dead hours after being taken into custody.
The incident stemmed from an alleged unlawful wounding that occurred around 21:41h on March 15, in a route 31 minibus heading to Wales. The victim, Fiona Jones, 21, a security officer attached to the United States (US) Embassy, told investigators that she was seated at the rear of the bus near a window, alongside another female and the suspect, Lawrence.

According to Jones, without provocation, Lawrence brandished a knife from his waistband and began attacking her and other passengers. Panicked, the driver stopped the vehicle, and all passengers fled, leaving Jones trapped with the armed man. She alleged that Lawrence grabbed her by the hair and stabbed her repeatedly to the head, neck, face, and hand before she managed to escape. Members of the public intervened, subduing the suspect and summoning police.
Jones was taken to the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH) by public-spirited individuals, where she received medical treatment and was later discharged.
When police arrived on the scene, they observed Lawrence being chased and beaten by angry civilians. A constable attempted to arrest him, but the suspect reportedly resisted, lifting the officer off the ground and placing him in a choke hold. With assistance from other ranks and civilians, Lawrence was eventually restrained, handcuffed, and transported to the La Grange Police Station.

However, police reported that Lawrence continued to act disorderly at the station. Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) were contacted, and the suspect was later transferred to the Parfaite Harmonie Police Station to await further medical attention. He was placed in the walkway of the lock-ups and monitored periodically. According to police, Lawrence was responsive during routine checks.
However, at approximately 01:57h on March 16, during a routine inspection, the ranks alleged that they discovered that Lawrence was unresponsive. EMTs were again summoned, and upon arrival, a doctor on the team pronounced him dead.
A post-mortem examination conducted by Government Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh on April 14 revealed that Lawrence died from subdural haemorrhage due to blunt trauma to the head compounded by multiple fractured ribs.
The autopsy was performed at Ezekiel Funeral Home in Best Village, West Bank Demerara. The body was formally identified by the deceased’s sister, Maunesa Winter, after she recognised a police post on the Guyana Police Force’s (GPF) Facebook page.
The Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) has since launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Lawrence’s death while in police custody.