TSU constable gunned down in Bent St
Second cop killed in 24 hours
Stabroek News
January 4, 2003
A police constable was gunned down on Thursday night by three men as he sat in a Bent Street shop, a short distance away from his home.
Police Constable #14500, Rayon Anthony Roberts, 32, attached to the Tactical Service Unit (TSU), was shot seven times and died at the scene. He was the 14th policeman to be killed by gunmen since April 1 last year.
Roberts, called `Bill,' of MM Bent Street, Wortmanville, became the second policeman to be killed in as many days. On Wednesday night Police Constable Mark Latour, of the Criminal Investigation Department, Eve Leary, was gunned down as he walked into the Arapaima Restaurant at Main and Quamina Streets.
A statement from the Police Public Relations Department yesterday said Roberts was gunned down while sitting on a bench in front of a `tuck' shop at NN Bent Street. "The gunmen walked up to the constable, two of them whipped out handguns, discharged a number of rounds at the constable and the three calmly walked away."
Citizens picked up the fallen policeman and rushed him to the Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival, the release added.
Stabroek News understands that Roberts had gone to the shop, thirty feet away from his home, to purchase cigarettes.
The men, sources said, walked past the shop then returned under the pretext of making a purchase and unleashed a barrage of gunfire. Police said they recovered five .32 spent shells at the scene.
Stabroek News understands that Roberts was shot once in his right cheek, twice in his chest, on the left and right side, three times behind the right shoulder blade and once in the centre of his back.
The perpetrators, police said, are known and a wanted bulletin was recently issued for one of the men while the other two were recently released from prison and may have been known by the policeman. Roberts leaves to mourn his wife, Sharon and eight children, including a foster child.
The Guyana Police Force repeated its condemnation of the deadly violence perpetrated on its members and said it would implement all necessary measures to ensure that these heinous criminal acts did not continue unabated.
Meanwhile Minister of Home Affairs, Ronald Gajraj, and Commissioner of Police, Floyd McDonald, have expressed their condolences to Roberts' family and friends, a statement from the Government Information Agency said. (Andre Haynes)
