Police say man killed in Eccles shoot-out
Relatives, others dispute this
By Andre Haynes
Stabroek News
October 26, 2002
Police yesterday said that Marvin Tyrrell, 27, was killed on Thursday night in a shoot-out at Eccles but his relatives and other persons are strongly disputing this version.
Tyrrell, also known as `Battle Truck,' of 193 Middle Road, La Penitence was according to police, fatally wounded during an armed confrontation with ranks who were part of a patrol at Eccles.
Commissioner of Police (ag) Floyd McDonald at a press conference yesterday told reporters "that at 11:15 pm Thursday night, the police patrol came under heavy gunfire, resulting in the death of a gunman, the recovery of a .357 magnum revolver, four live rounds, two spent shells and damage to a police vehicle."
According to McDonald, the ranks had been travelling in a patrol in Eccles when they passed an old car with three men standing nearby. After passing the car, the men fired several shots at the ranks who returned fire. "Two men escaped and the third was fatally wounded." The evening before, a policeman was injured in a similar event on the East Bank when gunmen opened fire on a patrol.
Relatives and eye-witnesses with whom Stabroek News spoke said that Tyrrell, along with another man, had been picked up by members of the Target Special Squad (TSS) at the junction of Fourth and Light streets in Alberttown sometime between 9 pm 10 pm on the same night. Tyrrell, according to his family, had left his home at 7 pm to return a bicycle to a friend in Alberttown. The man had completed the task and was reportedly returning home.
Tyrrell, who had earlier returned from the funeral of Claudius Sam (who was gunned down last week Friday in front of his Alberttown home), was reportedly in Light Street when TSS ranks had been nearby, in the process of detaining another man. The other man, who had just come out of a taxi, was reportedly searched and two weapons were found on him. As the ranks proceeded to question the man, they reportedly instructed persons walking from Fourth Street towards Light Street to turn back, while Tyrrell was called to come. The eyewitnesses said he was kicked in the body, which attracted the attention of persons in the community. He was then placed in the back of the police vehicle, along with the other man and taken away. This was the last time Tyrrell was seen before what the police said was the attack at Eccles.
According to the record at the Georgetown Public Hospital, where Tyrrell was pronounced dead on arrival, the man was brought in at 11 pm. The family said it was contacted by the hospital at about 11:15 pm. At his press conference, McDonald said the Eccles attack occurred at 11.15 pm.
The man's family, who admitted that Tyrrell had been known for fighting, though never convicted of any crime, was suspicious of the circumstances surrounding his death. They said that the man had several confrontations with a member of the TSS.
Just recently the family said the police had detained Tyrrell while he was in Albouystown and transported the man to the East Bank, where they released him. The family said that the news of Tyrrell's death had been broadcast on some television stations, which reported that Tyrrell had been shot while preparing to commit a robbery. Other reports linked him to Thursday's robbery at Eccles, but upon visiting the Police Headquarters at Eve Leary, they were told that there was no report of the incident. A visit to the television stations to acquire more information, they said, proved fruitless.
Tyrrell leaves to mourn his wife, Natasha and five-year-old daughter Jihan.