Footballer gunned down in Albouystown for gold chain
A footballer attached to the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) was on Thursday morning gunned down moments after taking his fiancée to her Independence Boulevard, Albouystown home.
Thirty-nine-year-old Paul Anthony Daniels, of Schoonord, West Bank Demerara,
Dead: Paul Anthony Daniels
was shot once to his chest during an alleged robbery about 06:00h.
The man reportedly went to drop home his fiancée and had decided to watch some television before departing the home where the incident occurred. Based on reports received, two armed men entered the home through a door located on the northern side of the building, which was left open.
Upon entering the house, they held Daniels and his fiancée at gunpoint and relieved him of a gold chain which he was wearing at the time and an undisclosed sum of cash, after which the men exited the house. Daniels, who was also a construction worker, went in pursuit of the men and during the chase, the suspects discharged several rounds, one of which hit Daniels, in the region of his stomach.
He was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. When Guyana Times visited the scene on Thursday morning, there were several bullet holes in the zinc gate and bloodstains on the ground.
Several persons had gathered while the man’s fiancée was reportedly at the Brickdam Police Station providing further statements. Staymon Ross, a neighbour, recalled hearing gunshots and immediately running towards the front. He noted that by the time he reached the front of the yard where the gunshots were heard, he saw Daniels lying in a pool of blood.
Without hesitation, he assisted in placing the injured man into a vehicle and took him to the hospital; however, but by the time they arrived at the medical facility, the injured man took his last breath. He noted that the father of one lived on the West Bank of Demerara, but whenever he was working in Georgetown, he would stay at his fiancée.
He explained that Daniels had just arrived at the house when the two gunmen attacked. He could not say what occurred in the house, but was told that the construction worker was robbed of the gold chain he was wearing at the time.
“This boy ain’t got no problems with anyone, so it had to be a robbery… he does come and go and people don’t even know when he is around…,” Ross noted.
He said that the couple were due to get married soon.
Ross is also of the belief that the crime situation has taken a turn for the worse, calling on the Head of State to intervene. Another neighbour told Guyana Times that she was sleeping and was awakened by the sound of bullets followed by loud screams. As she rushed to investigate, she saw Daniels panting for breath.
Within seconds, she noted, he took a long breath and at that time, she thought that he was dead. However, he was placed in a vehicle and rushed to the hospital. She too stated that Daniels was never involved in any illegal activities.
“He does come and go… both of them work and when she work, he does drop she home… and that is what exactly happened this morning,” she noted.
However, some at the scene recalled only a few days ago, two men had visited the area enquiring about Daniels’ whereabouts, leaving them to believe that the shooting might have stemmed from an old grievance.
A few also believe that the now dead man might have known his killers since they called out his name as they made their way into the house. After the shooting, the two men escaped on two pedal cycles.
The Police have launched an investigation into the incident, but no arrests have been made.
