Estranged lover fatally shoots ex-girlfriend’s sister, turns gun on self

A security officer attached to the Sheriff Security Service was riddled with bullets in the wee hours of Tuesday by her sister’s ex-boyfriend at her Dazzel Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara (ECD) home.
Dead is 24-year-old Ashanti Liverpool, who was fatally shot about 01:00h, by a 31-year-old security guard, Stephon Hope of Haslington, ECD. According to reports received, the suspect shared a common-law relationship with the sister of the deceased.
Police stated that just after midnight, the suspect went to a Chinese supermarket located at Good Hope, ECD, where he met his coworker, who, at the time, was armed with one AR-15 rifle with eight live rounds of ammunition.
The suspect reportedly told his coworker that the supervisor had sent him to collect the rifle. With some hesitation, his colleague attempted to contact his superior, but calls to his cellphone went unanswered.

Eventually, the firearm and ammunition were handed over. It was reported that the suspect had earlier seen his ex-girlfriend sitting inside a car parked in front of her house with another man.
After collecting the firearm, he returned to his ex-girlfriend’s residence. Ashanti’s boyfriend, Nicholas Alphonso told the media that the man arrived at the house desperately enquiring about his girlfriend’s sister.
“He come in the house, push open me bedroom door where me and my girlfriend was in, come inside with the big AK and asking where Ishanti deh and I tell he go outside with thing she have to be somewhere outside. When my girl [Ashanti] see the gun, she get vex and jump up and say is not me sister you going for with that. She picked up my jacket, put it on, and run out the room,” the man said.
Alphonso said after his girlfriend ran past the suspect, the suspect began chasing her with the weapon in his hand.

“He started running she down and he crank the gun and tell she don’t run. He fired two shots and when I see that, I slowed down. I heard he shot about three more times and he walked back to the house. I kept asking him where me gul deh and he didn’t answer me. He picked up he bike and he ride away. I started looking for Ashanti. Two to three hours, I couldn’t find she. Is four this morning I find she dead in a yard,” the grieving man said.

No mistake
The man said that even though the sisters were identical twins, it was not a case of mistaken identity. He said the dead woman and the suspect had no problems before the shooting, and she was only running to alert her twin sister that the suspect was coming with a gun.
He said his girlfriend’s sister had been trying to leave the suspect for some time, but he refused to let go.

“Earlier in the night Ashanti and he were reasoning and she told him if her sister didn’t want him let him just leave. The other day her sister told him to leave, and he picked up his things, and start to break up and throw away everything. He throw away all the chain and so he gone he way. Now, he come back with he gun. Them [the suspect and the dead woman’s sister] wasn’t together lon,g but it is long she trying to leave him,” he explained.
Police said that after committing the act, the suspect proceeded to Hong Xing Supermarket at Industry Railway Embankment, ECD, where he met with another colleague, a 29-year-old security officer, who, at the time, was armed with one AR-15 rifle with six live matching rounds of ammunition.
The suspect told his colleague that he needed his help in clearing the rifle that he had in his possession because one round was stuck in the firearm. The colleague collected the rifle from the suspect and attempted to clear it outside the supermarket, leaving his firearm inside the supermarket where the suspect was standing.
While doing this, the colleague claimed that he heard a loud explosion from inside the supermarket, and while checking, he noticed the suspect on the ground. He went to his aid, and saw what appeared to be blood coming from the left side of his chest and the firearm beside him.
A patrol from the Sparendaam Police Station was summoned, and the suspect was picked up in an unconscious state and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital. On his arrival, he was admitted nursing a single gunshot wound to the chest. His condition is considered critical. He is presently under guard at the hospital. Investigations continue. (G9)