The wounded man, Jainarine Singh, 42, of Annandale Housing Scheme, was shot in the head and was taken to hospital where he underwent emergency surgery.

He was reportedly in critical condition last night.

Witnesses said Singh was at the time assisting a friend who was doing some blacksmith work.

John Christopher, an employee of Jane's Supermarket at 178 South Annandale, which was robbed about 11:45 hrs by six unmasked men, said they appeared from the direction of Buxton on bicycles.

He said they entered the shop and one of them ordered him to lie face down with a gun pointed to his head and instructed him not to move or he would be shot dead.

While this was happening, the other men entered another section of the shop where there were other employees.

A gun was reportedly placed to the head of a cashier and she was relieved of a gold chain she was wearing around her neck.

The bandits proceeded to empty her cash register and took away another one, which was locked, witnesses said.

After the robbery was committed, the men all left on bicycles in the same direction from which they came, they said.

As they left, they fired shots wildly into the air and at neighbouring houses causing Singh to be hit.

Residents of the house at 98 South Annandale said they were alerted by the sound of gunfire and they all scattered for cover.

One resident said he dropped to the ground and crawled on his hands and knees to the side of the house.

When the gunshots seemed to have stopped, he said he emerged and went to the front of the yard where he saw Singh lying in a pool of blood with a bullet wound to his head.

According to residents, Police arrived half an hour later and the wounded man was taken to hospital.

Up to press time, Singh was in the Intensive Care Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

Gunmen from Buxton have attacked and robbed residents in Annandale several times since the upsurge in violent crimes last year.