Pigeon Island attack: Injured man feels ignored by Police

…“dem say me can’t talk so me can’t give a statement” – victimA month after the brutal attack on Andrew Arnold, a 25-year-old contractor from Good Hope, East Coast Demerara (ECD), allegations have emerged regarding the Police’s response to his case.

Arnold, who was left for dead by someone he considered a close friend of 11 years, claims that the Police informed him he would not survive his injuries and therefore neglected to follow up on his report.
Adding to the distress, Arnold told Guyana Times on Saturday that despite being unable to speak due to damage to his vocal cords sustained in the attack, the Police insisted he provide a statement orally before taking action.
“I was shocked, I told them that I can write and they want me to talk when I can’t talk. I couldn’t believe that was coming from the Police,” he told this publication via Facebook messenger. While Arnold cannot speak, he has been communicating via writing.
With the alleged suspect still at large, Arnold said he feels ignored by the authorities. The incident occurred on April 2 at Pigeon Island, ECD, where Arnold was lured into a trap by his supposed friend. According to text messages shared by the injured man, the assailant revealed that someone had hired him to carry out a hit on Arnold.
However, this newspaper could not independently verify the text messages shared about the alleged hit. The motive for the attempted murder remains unclear, although Arnold suspects it may be related to a dispute involving false accusations.
On the night of the attack, the suspect convinced Arnold to accompany him to a secluded spot near the seawall on Pigeon Island, claiming they needed to collect money from his mother. Once there, Arnold was viciously assaulted with a sharp object that sliced his throat, causing severe bleeding.
Arnold recounted, “We were hanging out, and he asked me to go with him to his mom’s place in Pigeon Island to collect some money, so we went…we took the seawall because he didn’t want to ride on the road.”
Describing the assault, Arnold shared, “He grabbed me from behind, put a knife to my neck, and informed me that he had been paid to kill me. He then slit my throat, threw me over the seawall, placed my bicycle on top of me, and callously declared, ‘You’re dead now,’ before riding away.”
Despite his grave injuries, Arnold managed to use his shirt as a makeshift bandage around his neck, retrieve his bicycle, and seek help at the Grand Coastal Hotel in order to contact the Police. He was subsequently rushed to the hospital and underwent emergency surgery.
However, the alleged suspect remains at large, and Arnold claims that the Police have been reluctant to search for him.
In his quest for justice, Arnold alleges that he has been met with indifference from the Police since the incident. Desperate for action to be taken, he is now appealing to the Commissioner of Police to intervene and ensure a thorough investigation into the case.
“I want justice…dem say me can’t talk so me can’t give a statement… dem nah even check for him [the suspect]. Dem need to do their work,” the message read.
Arnold hopes for a swift resolution and for the perpetrator to be held accountable for the heinous crime committed against him. Effort to contact Police in Division 4C for an update on the matter proved futile. (G9)