RSS investigators in Guyana to support probe of Linden shooting deaths

A three-member investigative team from the Regional Security System (RSS) is in Guyana to assist local authorities with investigations into the recent fatal police shootings of two men in Linden, Region 10.
The shootings, which occurred between Monday and Tuesday this past week, left 21-year-old Ronaldo Peters and 32-year-old Keon Fogenay dead, and triggered intense protest action in the mining town.

The officers allegedly involved in both incidents have since been placed under close arrest, and are being investigated by the Guyana Police Force’s (GPF) Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), now working in collaboration with the RSS team.
The unrest began following the death of Peters, who was shot by a plain-clothes officer. Surveillance footage, which surfaced shortly after showed the officer pursuing the unarmed young man before he was seen carrying Peters’ limp body by the clothing. Residents rejected claims that the shooting was accidental, and frustration quickly escalated into widespread demonstrations.
Protests intensified on Tuesday, leading to road blockages, burning debris, and violent clashes between police and protestors. The unrest spread from Half Mile, Wismar, where Peters was killed, to across the Wismar Bridge, paralysing traffic and resulting in multiple injuries.
Amid the confrontation, Fogenay, a father of four and resident of the same community, was shot and later died at the Linden Hospital. Eyewitnesses alleged that he was not actively participating in the protest but was struck while passing through the area. Cell phone footage captured him bleeding from a wound to the head, and his death fuelled further tensions in the community.
Police officers were seen retreating from protestors during the height of the confrontation, while spent shells, tear gas canisters, and scattered debris littered sections of the town. Despite a pause in active protest, residents remained adamant in their demand for justice.

Following the incidents, President Dr Irfaan Ali met with the grieving families, assuring them of state support for funeral expenses and promising an impartial investigation into both deaths. The RSS investigators, who arrived in Linden on Saturday, met with relatives of the deceased and revisited the shooting scenes.
The GPF has since stated that investigations into the circumstances surrounding both deaths are ongoing. The presence of the RSS team, which brings external oversight to the probe, is expected to bolster transparency and public trust in the process.
“Investigations into the circumstances that led to their deaths are ongoing,” the GPF said.