The injured man is Deon Gordon of 64 Church of God Road Buxton. He was shot in the left arm and left foot by a GDF patrol around 08:45 hrs yesterday morning.

The sight of this stretch of road in Howes Street is a timely reminder not only of the need for the pace of Georgetown’s road rehabilitation programme to be quickened, but also of the dire consequences for city dwellers of a drainage network unprepared for the rainy season. That a “Jesus Saves - Only Believe” sign is displayed in the water-logged street probably says how much religion may have to intercede to spare Howes Street and other low-lying areas from flooding.

The four men nabbed in the operation are Samuel Seaforth, a 26-year-old mechanic of 49 Middle Walk, Buxton; Keno Adams, a 23-year-old GT&T employee of Middle Street, Buxton; James Freeman, a 27-year-old mason of 83 Samantha Point, East Bank Demerara; and Vaughn Phillips, a 21-year-old security guard of 89 Middle Walk Buxton.

An Army personnel indicated that there were at least three joint operations conducted in the village yesterday during which several houses were ‘cordoned and searched’ and two motor-cycles recovered, one of which is said to be owned by notorious criminal and wanted man, Shawn Brown.

GDF Communications Officer, Staff Sergeant Stanford Conway, said around 04:45 hrs yesterday morning, a joint Army/Police operation was launched in Church of God Road in Buxton, south of the public road. During the early morning operation, 10 houses were ‘cordoned and searched’ and, according to Conway, this was based upon information gathered by Guyana Defence Force (GDF) intelligence resource personnel.

Conway said the operation was launched in search of a woman who it is alleged was an accomplice of the gang that kidnapped De Hoop businessman, Mr. Vic Singh.

The Mahaica businessman, who was kidnapped last Tuesday, was found the previous day (Saturday), alive and well in a house in Buxton by a joint Army/Police search party.

Conway told this newspaper that the woman apparently ‘got wind’ (tip off) of the early morning operation and fled the scene before the joint services arrived.

Shortly after the first operation in which they came up empty handed the contingent launched another cordon-and-search operation in the area.

This time, the operation was conducted in the Church of God Road, over the Railway Embankment going towards the cane-field.

Conway said the Army and Police were this time looking for a man called ‘Chip Teeth’, who is said to be “the main organizer and planner of criminal activities among the criminal elements in Buxton.”

Conway said two houses were cordoned off and searched but did not reveal anything.

He said around 14:00 hrs yesterday afternoon, another joint services operations was launched in the Church of God Road, this time about 100 meters south of the Embankment Road. Two houses were cordoned and searched in this operation, which was again initiated by intelligence gathered by the GDF Intelligence resource personnel.

Conway said two motor cycles without number plates were found and that one of the motorcycles - a black and white CBR 600 S4 (2000 model) fitted the description of a motorcycle that escapee Shawn Brown normally used.

The other bike recovered was a ‘Star Free FD 125 T6 black Scooter’. Conway said investigations revealed that the scooter, which was once red in colour, was recently sprayed over.

According to Conway, Gordon, the shot man, was seen with another man riding along the Church of God Road when he turned the corner and entered the second yard on the Public Road (the Church building occupies the first lot). Conway said the man spent about five minutes in the yard and then came out with a black bag which was dirty.

The GDF personnel said Gordon was acting in a suspicious manner and failed to stop when members of the patrol challenged him. The patrol drove behind him and once again challenged him. He, however, turned south into Middle Street, Buxton, where he dropped the bicycle and started to run.

Conway said the soldiers pursued him and upon challenging him a third time, the suspect reportedly put his hand into the bag he was carrying and “was taking out an object which the soldiers believed to be a weapon”. Conway said the patrol challenged him again and subsequently fired, hitting him on the left arm and left leg.