Haslington shooting: Man shot by Police 6 times – family alleges

– says rank who pulled trigger was dead man’s friend

By LaWanda McAllister

Family members of 23-year-old Quindon Bacchus – a father of one, of Golden Grove, East Coast Demerara (ECD) – who was shot dead during an alleged shootout with the Police at Haslington, ECD on Friday, are claiming that the Police had every intention of killing the man. They have explained that the officer who shot and killed Bacchus had been known to him.

Police reported on Friday that, on the day of the shooting, ranks were carrying out an intelligence-led operation in the Haslington New Scheme area of the ECD after receiving some information earlier in the day. While there, the ranks said, they contacted a 22-year-old construction worker, who provided them with certain information. As a result of the information, the ranks went to Bacchus’s home, where he was seen with a firearm in his possession. He had reportedly intended to sell it to one of the ranks.
The plainclothes rank, who was armed, made arrangements to purchase the firearm from Bacchus, who left and returned with the firearm.
In the process of handing over the firearm to the rank, an alarm was raised. As a result, the now-deceased man ran in a southern direction and discharged a round in the rank’s direction, and the rank drew his service pistol and returned fire.

The gun recovered at the scene
Police said Bacchus then ran further south and jumped into a yard, and the rank gave chase. While the rank was in close proximity to Bacchus, Bacchus discharged several other rounds towards the rank, and the rank took cover and returned fire, hitting the now-deceased man about his body.
Bacchus reportedly fell to the ground, along with the firearm, which was later identified as a .380 pistol with a magazine that still had one round.
Police said Bacchus was picked up in a conscious state and escorted to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was seen and examined, but subsequently died.

Initially, Police had told reporters that they went to Haslington, where they saw Bacchus with a firearm, and as they approached the man, he fired at the Police. However, in a subsequent report, they revealed that he was in the process of selling a rank the firearm when the ranks came under fire.
Linessa Semple, a cousin of the dead man, told Guyana Times on Friday evening that the Police’s report is not entirely true. The woman alleged that her cousin was murdered by his friend, and she refuted all claims that the now dead man had discharged multiple shots at the Police.
Semple has said she does not believe that her cousin would have been so naive as to shoot at ‘a van load’ of Police, knowing that he would have more than likely been cornered.
“To be clear, the shooter and my cousin are friends, so people around said. Let’s say my cousin was indeed trying to sell a gun to someone who is his friend, why would my cousin shoot a van load of cops if he only had one round?”, she questioned.
The woman further alleged that, from the onset, the Police’s report lacked substance, and does not add up.
“First it was said that they approach my cousin and he fired at them. Travis Chase said one .380 round and 2 spent shell 9mm. Where is the other shell? They lied! Part of the news was true and the rest wasn’t,” she said.
“He’s not a saint, but he would never ever shoot at no Police. Man, if them deh shoot he in he foot and take him in the lock-up and hold him for carrying illegal firearm, we wouldn’t mind. But he shoot my cousin to kill him”, she is contending.
Family members have alleged that Bacchus was shot six or more times, and had received the last shot to his head. They also claimed eyewitnesses have said that after the officer, Bacchus’s alleged friend, went in close proximity to him, Bacchus was heard pleading for his life.
“My cousin went to the car and he realised it was the cops and he ran, that’s how he ended up with shots in his back. My cousin did not fire at them as he ran. My cousin was set up, and got killed to shut up. He’s not here to tell us what really transpired.
“Someone who was close by heard when he asked (the named Police), ‘Wam nah! You nah gone done [shoot] now?” the woman is contending.
The woman said that, not long before Bacchus was shot dead, he had just seen his 3-year-old son, who had travelled from Barbados to see him. He had not seen the child in years.
“My cousin saw his son today [Friday] for the first time after a long time; they surprised him. Moments later, my family got a call saying he got shot. My aunt still trying to catch herself, and his baby mother trying to hang in there. The whole family is a mess!” she explained.
“I want to know: did they check my cousin’s hand for gunpowder? How come Quindon shoot but no Police got hurt? What made them come to this conclusion? My cousin was pinned to a mesh, that’s when he jumped somewhere while fleeing from them,” she has said.
“Also, why are they lying? What are they covering up? six bullets?”, she asked.
Even though Police are claiming that the man was picked up in an injured but conscious state and escorted to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he died while being treated, eyewitnesses have alleged that Bacchus was shot dead at the scene.
“My cousin didn’t die at the hospital; he died right there in the scheme… His chest burst up. All we want is justice. He did nothing to deserve that”, she noted.
The cops have said that the construction worker from whom they had received certain information was arrested and taken to the Cove and John Police Station, where he was interviewed under camera. A written statement was also taken as to what had transpired. He has been placed in custody pending investigation. Attempts to get a comment from the police on the accusations from the family proved futile.