UG road drama
Cop sustained knee injury in shootout
Stabroek News
July 27, 2002
The police yesterday confirmed that one of their own, Lance Corporal 16862 DeSantos, was injured on Thursday in the shootout that resulted in the deaths of two men, one of whom was wanted man Kwame Pindleton.
A police release yesterday said the cop received gunshot injuries to his right knee, while three police vehicles were “extensively damaged by the bandits’ gunfire.” It added that up to late on the night of the shooting, the police were relentlessly pursuing two men, who had escaped the dragnet, into the backlands south of the area.
It was believed that the men fled into the Beharry’s Nando Gardens compound on the University of Guyana road, then scaled two fences into the neighbouring Gafoor’s complex and into nearby bushes. There had been reports that the men might have also scaled the Graham’s Hall Primary School fence in their escape bid, but when this newspaper visited the school, it was told that the guard on duty at the time of the shooting saw no one scaling the school’s fence.
Policemen, who had gone there shortly after the shootout, reportedly sent that security guard home.
It is understood that one of the two men who escaped might have been injured.
Relatives of slain fugitive Kwame Pindleton yesterday declined to speak to the media. They said enough was being said already. When Stabroek News visited the Lodge residence, which was the last known address of Pindleton, a woman who identified herself as the man’s mother refused to comment.
A series of wanted bulletins were issued for Pindleton, especially after several recent major crimes. One of the latest was the slaying of Lance Corporal Adrian London, who was gunned down execution-style in Joseph Pollydore Street, while he was on a motorcycle. Stabroek News understands that London had arrested Pindleton on more than one occasion.
The other man killed was Leroy Lowe, of Lot 41 Ogle Street, Buxton. Following their deaths, weapons and a quantity of ammunition were found in Lowe’s car, PEE 1951.
While there had been no wanted bulletins issued for Lowe, Stabroek News understands that he was under surveillance by the police.
Lowe’s family said that the man, a former member of the Guyana Police Force, was innocent and was not known to be involved in any criminal activities. They had stated that the bandits could have hijacked the father of ten, but said since he was no longer alive, they could not be sure.
Sources say the car was heading up the East Coast on the Railway Embankment when the men came face to face with the police at a roadblock. They then headed north on UG road where they spotted another roadblock. This led to the shootout with the police.
The police say that the men opened fire on them.