Bartica miner shot by Soesdyke businessman during scuffle

A Bartica miner is currently hospitalised at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC), nursing a gunshot wound to his abdomen after he was shot during a scuffle with a Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara businessman.
The incident occurred sometime around 14:15h on Thursday. The injured man has been identified as Anthony Rogers, 26, of Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).
Based on reports received, businessman Lloyd Thomas, the owner of Blue Mountain Night Spot at Grant Sand Road, Soesdyke, is claiming that he had just returned home and exited his vehicle to open the gate so that he could drive his vehicle into the yard, when an armed man confronted him.
Thomas told investigators that after he exited the car, a white 212 motor car with two female occupants pulled up and Rogers disembarked and confronted him.
At the time, the miner allegedly had a firearm in his pants waist and told the businessman, “is you I come for” as he withdrew the weapon. He reportedly then grabbed Thomas’ gold chain, valued some 0,000, from his neck resulting in a scuffle between the two.
The businessman further claimed that during the process of trying to disarm his alleged attacker, the firearm went off and Rogers was hit in the left region of his abdomen. On the contrary, however, Rogers’ fiancé told investigators that they had gone to Kuru Kururu to return his son to the child’s mother when the woman choked and stabbed her in the left arm. She added that Rogers went to her rescue and pulled his child’s mother out of the car before driving off to his cousin’s home at Grant Road, Soesdyke. Denise Ceres, the cousin, joined them as they headed to the hospital. However, on their way, they saw Thomas’ car parked on the road blocking their path.
Rogers reportedly exited the car to confront Thomas and they started arguing. The fiancé further claimed that a fight ensued during which Thomas pulled out a firearm from his pants waist which was wrapped in a black cloth and dealt Anthony a lash to his head before firing a shot at him.
The woman claimed that she rushed to Rogers and saw blood oozing from a wound to his abdomen. With the assistance of public spirited persons, the injured man was taken to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre then transferred to the GPHC, where he was admitted as a patient.
Investigators have since found one spent shell and two live rounds at the entrance of Thomas’ gate and lodged same at the Timehri Police Station.
Several persons have since been questioned as investigations continue.