Police arrest robbery suspect who allegedly opened fire on them

– residents refute Police story

While on patrol duty in Sophia, Greater Georgetown, Police ranks attached to the Turkeyen Police Station on Tuesday came under fire from a man driving an XR motorcycle.
At the time, the ranks were on mobile patrol duty in ‘E’ Field, Sophia when they noticed the suspect, who was wanted for robbery. The cops have said that as they attempted to intercept the motorcycle, the rider pulled out a dark-coloured object (suspected to be a firearm) from the waist of his pants and discharged two rounds at the patrol vehicle.

As a result, the driver lost control of the Police vehicle, and it crashed into a culvert. While no one was seriously injured, the left side front portion of the Police vehicle has been damaged.
The ranks said they exited the vehicle and pursued the suspect who, while in a bid to escape, hit a dog and fell off the motorcycle.
The ranks approached the suspect, but by then a large and hostile crowd had gathered around the man, and they assisted him to escape. During the process, the Police discharged rounds in the air and the crowd eventually dispersed.
The suspect was however later apprehended at his home, and is presently in Police custody at the Brickdam Police Station.
“The Guyana Police Force is once again appealing to members of the public to refrain from such actions, which may lead to unnecessary and unwanted confrontations between the public and Police ranks. The GPF is urging the public to co-operate with members of the Force in the execution of their duties, and to maintain law and order,” the Police have said in a statement.
“This posture can only improve the relationship between the community and the Police, to create a safer community for all,” it added.
On Wednesday, Regional Commander Simon McBean visited the area where the shooting occurred, and residents who allegedly saw what unfolded told the Commander that the suspect had no weapon.
One man told the Commander that he was riding his bicycle at the time of the incident when he saw the alleged suspect driving his motorcycle. He noted that, soon after, he heard a loud explosion, and said that when he looked around, he saw the Police vehicle coming at a speed, and it hit both him and the man down.
“They run out the van, all of them with a gun in them hand, and they think was me was the person… they nearly shoot me… I didn’t see the man with no weapon”.
Another resident said, “I was building my stand when I see the man [the suspect] coming on the bike. They fly behind the man, and the man put up he hand while riding and show them that he will surrender to them. By the time the man reach here, them pick he up off he bike, pitch he away overboard.
“By the time we come to rescue he, they was pointing guns at us and telling we that we shouldn’t touch the man… we tell them the man got to come out the water, because he gonna dead in the water. We ended up taking him out the water”, he said.
The Commander has assured the residents that the matter would be investigated, and if the officers are found in the wrong, they would be dealt with.
“I can say we will have a detailed investigation of this particular incident. From our perspective, this is not what we are looking for. We are trying to forge a relationship with communities, and we can’t try to do that and have incidents like this…everything that was said, I will take statements from everyone, and it will be incorporated into our investigation”, the Commander has said.