Yohance Douglas, 18, was shot dead on the morning of March 1 when a Police mobile patrol intercepted the vehicle he and four other young men were travelling in and, according to the report by the investigative team, opened fire on the youths and "discharged a number of rounds in an indiscriminate manner which resulted in the death of one person and injuries to others".

The incident, which was described by Police Commissioner, Mr. Floyd McDonald at a media briefing yesterday as "very unfortunate, regrettable and sad", occurred in the vicinity of Sheriff and Duncan Streets, Georgetown.

According to McDonald, the Police probe report was completed around 13:30 hrs yesterday and was immediately dispatched to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Chambers and the Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority for "legal advice".

He told reporters in his office at Police Headquarters, Georgetown, that he can only divulge "certain information" from the report since he would have to exercise some amount of caution with regards the nature of the contents of the document due to professional and ethical reasons.

According to him, he does not want to do anything that would be inconsistent with the rule of law or inconsistent with normal procedures in matters of this nature.

"We have been conducting a criminal investigation, not a Board of Inquiry, and a criminal investigation has a number of implications (and) you need to understand that a comprehensive report is not the end of the process...", he pointed out.

Considering all those factors, McDonald made the following disclosures, based on the report submitted by the investigators:

** the investigating team found this incident to be very unfortunate, regrettable and sad.

** There was no evidence that the five youths were engaged in any illegal activities on that fateful day (March 1, 2003).

** There is no evidence that any of the aforementioned youths were armed with any lethal or offensive weapon.

** There is no evidence that any of the five youths were wearing or in possession of any wigs.

** From all appearances these young men were going about their business in a lawful manner even though the car they were driving in was taken without the permission of the owner and that the driver was the holder of only a provisional licence, according to one of the relatives.

McDonald said on the other hand, the investigative team found that the Policemen who were involved in this incident were on official duty having been detailed by a Lance Corporal who told them of their duties and read the firing order #33/69 to them prior to their leaving.

The Commissioner further stated that during the patrol, the senior rank who was in charge received information that there were two vehicles - a silver grey and the other a burgundy colour - leaving a certain location on the East Coast with armed men going to Georgetown.

He said that information was passed on to the other ranks on the patrol.

He said, too, that while on Sheriff Street proceeding north in the vicinity of the Tennessee Night Club, the patrol saw "a silver grey vehicle" (PHH 8115) travelling in the opposite direction with five persons inside which aroused their suspicions, based on the information received (earlier).

Hence a decision was taken to pursue, intercept and check on the occupants to ascertain their identities, McDonald said.

He also said both vehicles thereafter came to a halt and Policemen exited the patrol vehicle. "...and one of the ranks discharged a number of rounds in an indiscriminate manner which resulted in the death of one person and injuries to others," he added.

"The investigation has found, among other things, that enough caution was not exercised by the Police ranks and some degree of recklessness accompanied their actions," McDonald reported.

He said a number of other recommendations were made but it would not be prudent for him to disclose them at this point in time, but promised that as soon as legal advice has been given on the report, the other recommendations and disclosures would be made public.

The Police Commissioner also gave the assurance that the Force is committed to dealing with the matter professionally.

He also appealed to persons to "exercise caution and to be considerate".

He indicated that based on these findings by the investigative team, the wanton shooting was therefore unjustifiable, and the ranks are therefore culpable for their actions.

On the day after the shooting incident, McDonald called a news conference at which he assured that a thorough investigation would be undertaken into the incident and every effort made to conduct the probe in an expeditious manner without prejudicing it and ensuring the greatest objectivity.

Douglas, a second year student of the Faculty of Technology at the University of Guyana, was buried on Monday.

Hundreds of students, schoolchildren, adults and other mourners marched along the East Coast public road in the funeral procession of the slain student.

There has been widespread condemnation since the shooting, with the UG Students Society (UGSS) and other organisations taking to the streets in protest. There have also been calls for an independent investigation into the incident.

Meanwhile, the UG Faculty of Social Sciences yesterday held an emergency faculty Board meeting to discuss the way forward with regards to the shooting to death of Douglas, and the injury to his friend, Ronson Gray in the same incident.

A statement from Dr. Mark Kirton, Dean of the Social Sciences Faculty, said that following the discussions at the meeting, the faculty decided to adjourn further discussions to today.

In view of this, Kirton said the faculty decided to call a special assembly of the university community (all faculties, university unions and the student body) at 10:30 hrs today in the George Walcott Lecture Theatre, at the university's Turkeyen campus.

Kirton also noted that in the interim, the faculty has extended its support to the student body by continuing the period of mourning.

In a separate statement, President of the UGSS, Mr. Robert Bourne said the student society has begun to be actively involved in the sustained campaign not "only to bring the murderers of Douglas to justice but to end the violence that is destroying our future".

"We therefore intend to approach groups which have been fighting against extra judicial killings, police brutality, violence by civilians against civilians, individuals, families and communities, in the hope that together, we can build a broad-based movement against violence," Bourne said.