Police hunt “persons of interest” in “Gun Youth” execution

…Crime Chief urges witnesses to come forward

The Police are currently pursuing several persons in relation to the gunning down of Collin Hooper, also called “Gun Youth”, on Monday last.

This is according to Crime Chief Lyndon Alves, who during an interview with Guyana Times on Thursday stated that although no suspect in the execution- style killing has been apprehended, ranks are hunting for specific persons.
“There are persons of interest that the Police are looking for. Their names were touted, so the Police are looking for some persons of interest to interview them…but also, so far, we are not able to get anyone to come forward to say if and what they saw or know about this shooting/murder incident,” he disclosed.
According to Alves, folks are generally not very willing to come forward to the Police with information about crimes committed in their communities because they fear their families can be harmed.
“For instance, when you live in areas, you have to be very careful. Persons will not want to put their lives at risk; feeling that if you come forward that it would be disclosed, which is far from the truth. They may be fearful of who they give the information to,” he related.

Nevertheless, the Crime Chief is calling on witnesses to the Hooper murder to come forward. He noted that if those persons have reservations about speaking to investigators, they are free to call him directly.
“If they have concerns about their safety and security and the leaking of the information, they can contact me. They can call me on my cellphone, which is 608-2278,” Alves declared.
On Monday last, 45-year-old Hooper, who had been wanted by the Police for murder, was gunned down near his home at East La Penitence, Georgetown. The Police have recovered six spent shells of a small calibre weapon close to the dead man’s body. When Guyana Times visited the scene, persons in the area were all tight-lipped about the shooting. However, one person described the area as a “nest for criminals” while calling for more frequent Police patrols.
The area where the shooting took place is a stone’s throw away from the East La Penitence Police Outpost. It has been reported that Hooper moved into the area only a few months ago.
Hooper, who was reportedly shot multiple time to the head and upper body, was said to have been a carpenter, but had had several robbery charges pending before the courts, and had been wanted by the Police for questioning in relation to the murder of 57-year-old Prince Alleyne, who was gunned down on High Street, Georgetown during a robbery on April 16.