The year of living dangerously
Stabroek News
February 22, 2003
With tomorrow being the first anniversary of the infamous February 23, 2002 jail-break which saw a brutal and sustained crime wave being unleashed on the country, Stabroek News has compiled a list of the more serious crimes and confrontations with the police. Interviews were also done with relatives of two of the victims shot dead and the victim of a robbery.
** February 23
Five men - Andrew Douglas, Troy Dick, Dale Moore, Shawn Brown and Mark Fraser - escaped from the Camp Street jail. In the process, they killed prison officer Troy Williams and wounded another, Roxanne Winfield. After a successful freedom bid, the escapees hijacked two cars, which they later abandoned. It would be some months later that three of the five men - Douglas, Brown and Fraser - were killed in two separate incidents.
** March 6
Vivekand and Jane Parsram, proprietors of Jane’s Food Mart, were attacked and robbed by a group of bandits who carted away cash, CD players and groceries. The robbers then hijacked a bus owned by a friend of the couple. Three of those bandits were identified as prison escapees.
** March 10
Errol ‘Taps’ Butcher was wounded in a drive-by shooting on America Street in the city. He died two days later.
** March 16
Masked bandits stabbed Corentyne, Berbice businessman Paul Hardeo to death.
** March 18
Six unmasked men faked an accident on the East Bank Demerara Public Road at Friendship and lured travellers into a trap. They then robbed occupants in at least two cars of cash and other valuables, before hijacking one of the vehicles and escaping.
** March 21
Three jewellers were shot at and robbed in Alberttown
** March 30
Montrose chef Bibi Alli and Ramchand Narine were both robbed by armed bandits. More than a million dollars cash and a ‘Taurus’ revolver, were taken from the two victims.
** April 1
Bandits hijack three cars: Army Officer Christine King was robbed and her car was taken; Canadians were beaten and robbed and their car was also hijacked; and bandits also attempted to hijack a vehicle belonging to La Familia Country Club manageress.
** April 2
Police Superintendent Leon Fraser was shot and killed on the Linden-Soesdyke Highway. Authorities later said the escapees were responsible for Fraser’s death.
** April 9
Bandits attempted to rob a home in Section ‘K’ Campbellville but abandoned the effort after residents shot at them. The car used was later identified as belonging to Marcellene Basdeo, who said that she and businessman, Andre Ramphal, had been kidnapped. After the robbery was foiled, the bandits abandoned Basdeo’s car and hijacked another vehicle in the vicinity of the American School before making a clean getaway.
** April 13
Seventeen-year-old Gavin Sobers was shot dead in a house at Bachelor’s Adventure, East Coast Demerara. Melroy Goodman, who escaped from the same house with gunshot wounds to the abdomen, later told police that gunmen threw a channa bomb into the small wooden structure and opened fire. Later in the year, Goodman was shot dead by the police after he fired at them.
** April 15
Policeman Harry Kooseram was killed on his way to work at the Vigilance Police Station, East Coast Demerara. The assailant fired six bullets into his body. It was the same day of the funeral for Buxtonian Shaka Blair, who was killed by police on April 6.
** April 26
Gunmen beat and robbed a man at the corner of Princes and Haley Streets, Georgetown, then hijacked his car and kidnapped his wife. The woman was later dumped, unharmed, in Sophia.
That same day, at Friendship, East Coast Demerara, armed men shot and injured Brian Chester and his reputed wife, Dionne Glasgow. Their home was sprayed with bullets.
** May 3
In a high-voltage shootout with eight heavily-armed bandits, two security guards were shot and wounded, while Patsan’s owners, Patrick Seebarran and his wife, Gina, were attacked and robbed. After a wheel on the bandits’ vehicle was shot, a Green Line taxi was hijacked.
** May 3
A group of policemen were forced to back out of the Buxton/Friendship community after shots were fired.
** May 4
Cops lay siege to a Prashad Nagar home and later questioned an occupant, Althea Carto. The empty upper flat showed signs of recent occupation. Earlier that day, the police had stormed a North Ruimveldt house as the search for the bandits in the Seebarran shootout continued.
** May 5
Shawn Butcher, the son of Errol ‘Taps’ Butcher, was wounded in a drive by shooting.
** May 6
U.S. based Guyanese, Mark Anthony Sancho, was shot dead on Mandela Avenue and two others - Junior Callendar and Osmond Forester - were admitted to a city hospital in a critical condition.
** May 11
A man and his wife, Ramdeo and Sita Persaud, of Annandale, East Coast Demerara were shot dead by bandits in their bedroom. That same day, the police said they were fired upon in the adjoining village of Buxton. Two policemen were wounded.
** May 16
Armed bandits robbed Jairam’s General Store on Saffon Street, Charlestown and shot security guard Chaitram Etwaru to death.
** May 20
Six unmasked and armed bandits robbed Ramesh Persaud, a businessman of Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara of over $2M in cash and jewellery. He is the brother of Ramdeo Persaud who, along with his wife, was killed by armed bandits less than two weeks prior.
** May 25
Two gunmen ambushed and opened fire on a police patrol at Coldingen, East Coast Demerara, wounding four policemen. The cops were rushed to a city hospital, where one of them, Sherwin Alleyne, died some days later.
** May 27
Four bandits plunged into the Demerara River after robbing gas depot owner Colin Lovell of $101,000, US$5, EC$15 and his car at Coverden, East Bank Demerara. The robbers were later charged and placed before the courts.
** May 30
Two carloads of gunmen opened fire on the Alberttown Police Station, killing policeman Andy Atwell and wounding another. Earlier that day, bandits struck twice in the city, hijacking two cars and leaving behind a gold Toyota Carina that was used in two other robberies.
The first car was hijacked at about 5.45 am from Cuthbert Europe, a former policeman at Craig Street, Campbellville, and the second, 15 minutes later from Andre Williams, a taxi driver employed by Legem Taxi Service, while he was on his way to the Sophia area.
** June 1
Bandits hit Commerce House Cambio on Regent Street, Georgetown, killing Ramnauth
Persaud, the cashier/accountant, and seriously wounding the owner, Kennard Gobin. The gunmen also riddled the City Constabulary office opposite the cambio.
That same day, Gurdat Basdeo, a jeweller, was robbed at gunpoint at the Annandale market, East Coast Demerara.
** June 6
A band of men engaged the police in a shootout at Nabaclis, East Coast Demerara. Wanted man, Compton Cambridge was killed and three others escaped. That same day, bandits fired shots at a family in the vicinity of Craig, East Bank Demerara who were en route from the airport.
** June 8
Businesswoman Monica Rodrigues of B.V., E.C.D. was strangled during an armed robbery. Her husband received minor injuries.
** June 11
Bandits stormed a home at Hope, East Bank Demerara, where they beat and terrorised Suresh and Monica Bhagwandin and their four children. They escaped with a gold necklace, and a few rings valued in total about $15,000.
** June 13
A large band of bandits invaded a Vergenoegen residence and shot dead businesswoman Claudette Ng-See-Quan. Her husband, Hilton, a sawmiller, was admitted to a city hospital in a critical condition. The bandits escaped in a boat with a $500,000 15 horsepower Yamaha engine belonging to fisherman Deonarine Boodwah, as well as $400,000 cash the couple had to pay wages with, the Ng-See-Quans’ weapons and all the woman’s jewellery.
** June 14
The Police Force’s Target Special Squad (TSS) was fired upon in the mining town of Linden. Police officer Rawle Thomas was shot and air-dashed to the city in a critical state. The three gunmen escaped in bushes at Moblissa after highway chase and Thomas succumbed to his wounds a few days later, on Father’s Day.
** June 15
Armed bandits held up and robbed a group of six, including two plain clothes police officers, outside their home at Lot 460 North/East La Penitence. A quantity of cash and jewellery was taken.
** June 16
Three gunmen fled after their car ran into a trench at Irving Street and Vlissengen Road. A machine gun, a shotgun and a quantity of ammunition were left behind. Later, it was confirmed that the same car was hijacked from Narinedath Mahabali the day before.
** June 18
A carload of gunmen opened fire on the police at Bagotstown, East Bank Demerara, but no one was hurt.
** June 24
Three heavily armed and masked men in a white car abducted dance director Gem Rodrigues and her young son, Akeem, at around 6.45 pm in front of the Let’s Dance Studio on Woolford Avenue. They were released some days later unharmed.
** June 25
Buxtonians continued to attack passers-by and set fires on the roads. The driver of a mini bus was robbed of $45,000 cash and a cellular phone. His vehicle was then pushed into a trench and set on fire. That same night, a 51-year-old resident of Cove and John, East Coast Demerara was attacked by two men while driving his bus along the Friendship Public Road. The attackers threw gasoline into the man’s bus and set it alight, but the passengers helped to put out the flames. No one was injured in that incident. Then an Enmore resident was robbed of his car and a wristwatch by five men armed with guns.
** June 27
Former sugar worker Mohamed Kayan Baksh was shot dead in an attack by five armed gunmen at Meten-Meer-Zorg, West Coast Demerara. The gunmen sprayed several other homes with bullets before escaping. That night, there were reports that a boatload of armed men was spotted at the Ocean View, Uitvlugt foreshore, a few villages away.
** June 28
A police patrol spotted wanted man Kwame Pindleton and three other men in a white car at the corner of Vlissengen Road and Barr Street, Kitty. The men opened fire on the police and sped off with the cops in hot pursuit. The gunmen swapped vehicles on Middleton Street. (The first abandoned vehicle was identified as the one hijacked from Aubrey Samuels on June 27). A second car was hijacked from Compton Semple who sustained a flesh wound to his right thigh in the ensuing fracas. The gunmen discharged several shots at a cyclist as they turned into Middleton Street from Drury Lane. The gunmen changed vehicles in Garnett Street.
At the junction of Mandela and Homestretch Avenues, the four men emerged from the white vehicle and approached a metallic grey Prado. One of the gunmen opened fire on the Prado, injuring a female member of auto dealer Peter Morgan’s family. The woman and a child were in the vehicle at the time and had to be rushed to a city hospital
** July 9
Bandits opened fire on a delivery van belonging to Edward B. Beharry and Company and killed security guard Carlyle Wickham at Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara.
Also on that day, four heavily armed bandits terrorised and beat Haymant Narine and his family at their home in Belmonte, Mahaica, further up the East Coast Demerara and later escaped in a hijacked car with an undisclosed sum of cash and several pieces of jewellery.
** July 11
Police detective Adrian London was shot dead execution-style on Joseph Pollydore Street, Lodge.
** July 13
Two armed men robbed the Middle Pocket Arena night spot in Fourth Street, La Penitence of $105,000 cash, a wedding band, a diamond ring, a gold band and a gold chain. A man was shot and the bandits escaped on the proprietor’s scooter.
** July 13
Six heavily armed bandits in bullet proof vests, camouflage type dark coloured pants and black boots, robbed four moneychangers of hundreds of thousands of dollars on America and Longden Streets. The moneychangers were placed to lie on the pavement while the robbers executed the attack.
** July 15
Oyama Butcher, another of Errol ‘Taps’ Butcher’s sons, was shot dead in Albouystown, Georgetown.
** July 18
Three men, armed with AK47 assault rifles, robbed Baksh Jewllery Establishment on Camp Street of $65,000 of cash and jewellery.
That same day, four armed bandits assaulted businessman Hardat Dani of Enterprise Gardens, East Coast Demerara and robbed him of $250,000 cash.
** July 19
Five heavily armed bandits robbed Andrew and Cleopatra Famey of Long Creek, Soesdyke Linden Highway of $300,000 cash, four chainsaws, a cellular phone, and a quantity of jewellery. Their car was hijacked and later found at Kuru Kuru. It is believed that the bandits used the chainsaws to gain entry to one business premises five days later during a major attack at Rose Hall, Corentyne.
** July 20
Gunmen shoot two guards at Citizens Bank at Camp and Charlotte Streets, and one at Demerara Bank on Camp Street in an almost simultaneous attack and relieved the guards of their guns.
** July 21
The police outpost at Rose Hall was attacked by armed bandits dressed in dark coloured clothing and sporting bullet-proof vests with AK-47 assault rifles, as well as hand guns. Police Constable Ramphal Pardat was apparently taken at gunpoint from the outpost and later shot dead close to the seawall.
The bandits then went to a Chinese restaurant near the outpost and robbed employees and customers of jewellery. They carted off close to $100,000 and the owner was taken to the outpost and locked in a cell along with a policeman.
Another policeman, Outar Kissoon, was shot dead when he and a party of policemen responded to the attack.
Balram Kandhi, too, was killed, when the vehicle in which he was travelling through the town, was riddled with bullets.
Four armed men on each side of the road, with Pardat in the middle, approached two members of the Police Special Constabulary who were guarding the National Bank of Industry and Commerce and relieved the guards of a .32 revolver and hand held communications set, then marched them across the road to the Guyana National Cooperative Bank where another guard had already been attacked and relieved of a .38 pistol. The three guards, along with Pardat, were taken to the pump station at the back of the village and ordered to lie face down. All the security officers, with the exception of Pardat, were ordered to get up and run. The policeman was shot dead. His home in the same village was later sprayed with bullets.
During the assault on the town, 72-year-old Mohan Latchman and his 65-year-old wife ‘Nellie’ were disturbed by the gunfire. Latchman collapsed and died.
A watchman called ‘Callo’ was tied up near the pump station by the bandits.
The bandits broke into the business place of Mohamed Shamshudeen Afiz at 72 Rose Hall Town by using chainsaws to take out the wall. They stole about $250,000 in cash, 95 rounds of .32 ammunition and US$85. They then broke into the home of Afiz’s brother, Mohamed Shaik Hoosein and stole $500,000 in cash and $100,000 in jewellery and injured Hoosein and his wife.
A female security guard at the Rose Hall Market and another guard were confronted by an armed bandit.
17-year-old Royden Wong was shot in his leg when he attempted to peep through his window as the bandits were passing his home
A guard involved in a scuffle with two of the bandits received head injuries and had to be hospitalized.
** July 24
Two gunmen robbed 13 fellow passengers on a mini-bus at Annandale of cash and jewellery.
That same day, armed bandits launched a robbery rampage in Annandale. A pensioner was robbed of over $450,000 in cash and jewellery.
** July 25
Wanted man, Kwame Pindleton and taxi driver Leroy Lowe were killed in shootout on University of Guyana road.
That same day, armed bandits bound, gagged and escaped with $120,000 cash, jewellery, a microwave, a VCR and a car belonging to Myrthleen Lee-Bing of 36 John Street, Lodge.
** July 26
Bandits snatched a $1.8M payroll after overpowering six guards and nipping the locks of B.M. Enterprise, Inc. at Huston, East Bank Demerara. Two men were later charged.
** July 30
Two armed, masked bandits terrorized and robbed Suzette Sydney and Colleen Johnson of Guyhoc Park. They carted off $22,800 cash, eight gold finger rings, four gold bracelets, two gold chains, two pairs of gold earrings, a pair of ‘Timberland’ boots, a pair of sandals, three pairs of jeans and other items of clothing.
** August 4
Three armed brigands terrorized and robbed Anita Singh and her family of Melanie Damishana, ECD of over $300,000 in cash and jewellery before cutting off the woman’s hair.
** August 5
Four masked gunmen torched rural constable, Ray Anthony Rutherford’s Pathfinder vehicle at McDoom, East Bank Demerara.
** August 6
A Guyana Post Office van was hijacked by three gunmen in the Bagotstown/Eccles, East Bank Demerara area and 69 bags of mail were rifled. The ejected driver took the bandits’ car to the Ruimveldt Police Station. The van was recovered in Crown Dam/Industry, East Coast Demerara.
While the bandits’ car was at the Police Station, the driver of the Oasis Taxi Service, who had been hijacked, crawled out of the trunk. The man claimed that he had picked up three men in D’Urban Street, Wortmanville and was transporting them to Rasville when he was forced into the back seat and later the trunk.
** August 7
Masked marauders plundered Stabroek Market vendor Marilyn Coventry’s home in North Ruimveldt and escaped with cash and jewelery.
That same day, gunmen torched two Friendship houses belonging to Edris Chester and shot and wounded family members. Nine people narrowly escaped that attack and were subsequently forced into hiding.
** August 10
A traffic cop was shot and injured outside Club Nite Life.
Also on that day, six cars were hijacked, deserted in hours {HA 9776; HA 7020; PHH 680; HA 9852; PHH 2587; HA 6273}.
** August 11
Four heavily armed bandits attacked New Thriving Restaurant on Camp St. & Brickdam, where the guard was relieved of his gun. About $5,000 in cash was stolen and a customer, too, was robbed; Two Brothers Service Station at Eccles and the KFC outlet at Bagotstown, both on the East Bank Demerara were attacked. Cash was taken and customers were again robbed.
** August 12
Three Impact Base cops were shot and later, a ‘hijacked’ driver was detained in the probe.
** August 14
Armed bandits attacked the Atlantic Netsurf café at Turkeyen, East Coast Demerara and carted off an undisclosed sum from the business and stripped the customers of jewellery, wristwatches and cell phones.
That same day, America Street money-changer Cecil Payne’s home in West Ruimveldt was robbed by five armed men, who carted off in excess of $700,000.
Also, armed bandits raided treason-accused Mark Benschop’s home in Queenstown and stole about $0.5M in cash, equipment and jewellery.
** August 15
Bandits hit money-changer Orin Braithwaite’s home in East Ruimveldt, terrorised his wife, grandchild and made off with diamond and wedding rings, cash, a cellular phone and gold earrings.
** August 16
Gunmen riddled a police vehicle with bullets in East Ruimveldt after a high-voltage chase, but the cops managed to escape.
Then, a ‘First Choice’ taxi driven by Joseph Alexander was hijacked by five armed men in Howes Street, Charlestown. The driver was bound and placed in the trunk but escaped when they stopped at a Providence, EBD gas station.
That day, too, armed men attempted to hijack an off-duty taxi driver, Raymond Mohamed, as he returned home with his children at Sunflower Close, South Ruimveldt
** August 19
A family returning from Barbados was robbed of over Bds$12,000, all their luggage and gold jewellery. Their car, too, was hijacked, but later recovered on the East Coast Demerara.
** August 21
A motor car, HA 9499, driven by Peter Simon, was hijacked by three men in Lodge and the vehicle was later used when three armed men gunned down security guard Michael Cumberbatch inside Bhagan’s Drug Store at Camp & Middle Streets.
Earlier that day, armed bandits relieved the cashier of the Georgetown Fisherman’s Cooperative Society of $500,000 and escaped with a vessel used by the company.
** August 22
Dentist Fung-A-Fat was found murdered in his New Amsterdam clinic.
That same day, seven bandits armed with guns and cutlasses, stormed A&R Bargain
Centre at Lot 90 Robb Street, Lacytown and robbed its owner of some $600,000 in merchandise and an undisclosed sum of cash. The proprietress was stripped of her clothes.
** August 23
Four heavily armed men robbed a wholesale store at Alexander Village, shot a man in the ankle and severely beat three others before escaping with close to half a million dollars, a number of cheques and gold jewellery.
Earlier that day, two stallholders at the Enterprise Market, East Coast Demerara were robbed at gunpoint and another was threatened as three youths carried a brazen attack. The robbers stole about $200,000 cash and a quantity of merchandise.
** August 24
CANU Deputy Head Vibert Inniss was executed by gunmen while sitting in his car at Buxton waiting to purchase newspapers. A woman, who was reportedly with him at the time, fled and sustained wounds.
Later that day, gunmen fired at East La Penitence police station.
Also that day, unmasked, armed bandits raided the Sports Bar on the Railway Embankment at Lusignan, ECD and robbed it of an undisclosed sum. Customers were stripped of cash and jewellery.
** August 26
Andrew Douglas, one of five men who escaped from the Camp Street Jail on February 23, 2002, was found shot dead in the back seat of a hijacked car at Farm, East Bank Demerara.
** August 27
Feroze Bashir, another policeman, was shot dead at Buxton outside paramour’s house. Later that month, four men were indicted for his murder.
** August 28
About 12 gunmen terrorized and robbed five Non Pariel, ECD families of cash,
jewellery, cell phones and television sets. One man was set ablaze and subsequently died.
That same day, a delivery truck for Survival Supermarket was robbed of cash in front of the Guyana Fire Service.
** August 29
Armed men robbed First Priority music store at De Willem, WCD of $150,000 and gold jewellery.
** August 30
Armed bandits robbed a businessman in Regent Street and later that day, a band of teens went on a rampaged through the villages of Annandale and Strathspey, ECD, robbing residents of cash, jewellery, compact disc players, a VCR, an amplifier and other valuables. During the blitz, an IPA vehicle windscreen was damaged and $35,000 was stolen; a taxi driver, too, was robbed of cell his phone, a wristwatch and $5,000; a truck driver was robbed of $84,000 and a gold ring; and other vehicles were damaged during the funeral of Andrew Douglas.
** September 4
Four men armed with machine guns robbed two Merriman Mall vendors of about $180,000 in cash
** September 6
Police Inspector Leyland October was shot dead at Sussex and Russell Streets, Charletown.
Also that day, four armed bandits robbed several men of $70,000 cash, gold jewellery and two cellular phones, while they were at a Strathspey, ECD lumberyard.
Shortly after, at Mon Repos, ECD, four men robbed Balgobin’s lotto booth of thousands of dollars in cash, jewellery and phone cards.
** September 8
Gunmen fired on the police in the vicinity of the 1763 Monument and a stray bullet grazed Marci Tasher, a resident of Hadfield Street and Vlissengen Road. That same day, Ryan Richards was shot dead behind Brickdam police station.
** September 9
Wanted man Delon Accra was killed after hijacking a car.
September 10
Two bandits - Emmanuel Wright and Junior Liverpool - were shot dead by police at Republic Park entrance, East Bank Demerara after robbing a city gas station.
Earlier that day, Sonia Ragbar, a pregnant woman, was shot in her hip, while her husband Doodnauth was shot twice in his left thigh. The couple was defending their Yarrow Dam, Ruimveldt home from armed bandits.
September 11
Armed robbers pounced on Roy’s Pharmacy in Bourda Market and relieved the establishment of an undisclosed sum.
That same day, three armed bandits raided a home at Melanie Damishana ECD and threatened to strangle an infant. The robbers chopped a woman in her left arm and breast before making off with $500,000 in cash.
September 12
The body of taxi driver Johniel Wilson was found on the embankment road at Ogle, East Coast Demerara. Wilson’s car was believed to have been hijacked. It was later found and four men were indicted for the murders of Wilson and other slain taxi driver Motilall Lall.
** September 17
Four armed bandits robbed the Strasthspey Texaco gas station ECD of about $73,000 in cash, and looted other items.
That same day, two men, armed with guns, robbed the Lodge Truth Church penny bank on Norton Street, Lodge of $100,000.
** September 18
Two gunmen attacked the Under Ground bar in Lusignan, ECD and robbed the owner of US$400 and G$6,000.
** September 19
Gunmen killed two and injured one in Albouystown before escaping with gold jewellery and cash
** September 24
Mourners set upon and robbed in Buxton, ECD of cash and jewellery.
Also on that day, gunmen tried to kill a traffic cop at Friendship, ECD and in the process, shot a commuter in a mini-bus.
In two other unrelated incidents, two armed gunmen robbed a lumber dealer at Melanie Damashana, ECD and armed bandits robbed an Annandale family of $300,000 in cash and jewellery.
That night, two armed bandits also robbed Techmedia.com on Camp Street, Georgetown of $30,000, a VCR, CDs and a quantity of cellular phones.
** September 25
Four persons were shot dead in Natoo’s Bar in Kitty. Among the 10 injured was Director of Public Prosecutions, Denis Hanomansingh. Just minutes before that shooting, a teenager, Dellon Gomes, was gunned down in Craig Street, Campbellville.
** September 26
Six persons were injured after gunmen open fire on the prison officers’ club opposite the Camp Street jail.
Later that night, a large gang fired on the Vigilance Police Station. Members of the Guyana Defence Force shot dead a gunman.
** September 27
Two men die after gunmen blast a car at Buxton.
A Buxtonian was later found dead in the village.
** September 30
Gun-toting bandits shot dead a taxi driver in front of Johnny ‘P’ Supermarket and robbed the establishment of cash. They hijacked the car, which was later found in Buxton.
** October 1
Gunmen kidnapped Kamal Seebarran from his Sheriff Street auto dealership in Georgetown, only setting him free after a reported $17.2M ransom was paid.
That same day, the police shot dead Joel Duncan in the Kitty cemetery after he robbed a driver at gunpoint.
** October 6
Two armed bandits robbed La Penitence stallholders of $200,000.
That night, Ina Croal Vermeeren was killed after shots were fired from an overtaking car at Turkeyen, ECD. Four persons were wounded and were rushed to a city hospital.
** October 11
Sniper fires at police patrol at Friendship, ECD.
That same day, wanted man Shawn Welcome was shot and killed after grabbing a policeman’s rifle.
** October 15
A Triumph family was terrorized and robbed of an undisclosed amount of cash and jewellery by an armed gang.
That same day, two police officers and three bystanders were shot and injured.
** October 16
Orin Shultz and Gladwin Fecker were shot dead outside a video shop on Joseph Pollydore Street, Lodge. Later, one man was held.
That same night, a passenger was killed after a gunman opened fire on a minibus on the Buxton/Friendship Public Road. The attacker reportedly fled into Buxton.
** October 18
Claudius Sam, one of several men who were accused of the 1998 America Street murder of businessman Neville Sarjoo, was gunned down in front of his First Street, Alberttown home.
That same day, David Singh was injured by bandits after they robbed Dr Krishna K. Sankar, of Vryheid’s Lust, ECD, of his car, firearm, cellular phone and a quantity of Guyana currency. The car was later abandoned in South Annandale.
** October 22
Gunmen riddled a Brazilian restaurant with bullets and two persons were injured.
** October 23
Gunmen fired shots at Houston, EBD and hijacked a car.
That same day, heavily armed men attacked a rum shop at Friendship, East Coast Demerara and beat the owner Charles Sarjoo and kicked his pregnant daughter.
Also, gunmen opened fire on another police vehicle, this time, shooting a Constable in his leg.
** October 24
Keishar’s proprietor Brahmanand Nandalall was kidnapped after a running gun battle along Regent Street. Four days later, he escaped his captors, marking the bloodiest day in the year.
Also that day, five armed bandits robbed an Eccles general store. The owner’s father-in-law dies of a heart failure after hearing the news.
** October 25
An East Coast Demerara goldsmith and his daughter were kidnapped and released in a ‘neat’ operation. A hefty ransom was said to have been paid.
** October 27
Missing East Coast man, Camaldeo Ganesh, was found dead in Buxton backdam.
** October 28
Mash Day prison escapees, Mark Fraser and Dale Moore, along with five others, died in separate shootouts in the city and along the East Coast Demerara. A large arms cache, too, was found in a Lamaha Gardens rented house. Among those killed was ex-cop Franklyn Solomon, who was gunned down in Annandale.
Later that night, the charred remains of a man were found in burnt car at Buxton.
** October 29
‘Wanted’ man Melroy Goodman was killed in a shootout with the police. A bystander, who was repairing his cycle in a nearby shed, was killed in the crossfire.
** October 29
Youths attacked a minibus and robbed passengers on the embankment road at Annandale, before run off laughing into Buxton.
At the time, shots were being fired at an Annandale home and a motor car. The woman later packed her bags and left under the protection of the army.
** October 30
Teen gunmen kidnapped farmer Motilall and demanded $20M as ransom, but a day later, Motilall was found dead.
** Nov ember 4
Another bloody night when five persons were shot dead at the corner of Robb and Light Streets; and a would-be bandit was shot dead in Middle Road, La Penitence.
** November 5
Dorothy Williams and Adrian Green were shot dead during a police operation at D’Urban St, Wortmanville. Williams, the mother of a GDF soldier, was said to be “collateral damage”.
** November 11
Joel Evans of Bagotstown, East Bank Demerara was gunned down outside Charlestown bakery.
** November 12
Randolph Chapman, who was clad in a flak jacket, was killed in Buxton a few hours before another was found shot to death at Melanie, ECD
** November 14
Wanted man ‘Inspector Gadget’, Premkumar Sukraj, was shot dead in Middle Road, La Penitence.
** November 17
Mark Rutherford’s bullet riddled body was found floating in canal behind Annandale
** November 21
Bandits fled into the canefields after the police shot at them. Prior to that, a Coldingen, ECD house was robbed and a gun was placed at a toddler’s neck.
That same day, the police caught two armed teens after a hold up at a Sheriff Street gas station.
That day, one man was shot in the groin and three others were arrested when the police encountered two separate robbery attacks.
** November 23
Gunmen killed one in Buxton and a soldier, Private Ryan Thompson, was shot in the head. Just this week, the soldier returned to Guyana, from Brazil, where he had been airdashed for medical treatment.
That same day, army Private Vinton Sarius drove into a culvert to escape three armed carjackers.
** November 28
A taxi driver escaped armed hijackers in South Riumveldt after he was stripped of his jewellery.
A man, Anthony Goodman, was also arrested over the hijacking of car after shootout with the police. He was later charged.
Also on that day, a gang of men shot and robbed Oswald Benjamin at Friendship, ECD. That night, a robbery suspect was shot in the leg at Friendship and the police raided a Subryanville safe house: Brandon James was killed, but wanted man Romel Reman escaped. The police said AK-47s and ammunition were recovered.
** Nov ember 29
Two men were shot dead and three others were injured in Albouystown.
** December 3
A large gang of gunmen embarked on a shooting spree in the city, killing traffic cop Quincy James. A car and a mini bus were hijacked, after Gobind’s cambio was robbed. The attackers also fired on the Guyoil gas station opposite, shot at a cyclist and hijacked four motorcycles from Guysuco workers in Plaisance backdam, ECD. The escaping gunmen dropped live rounds and bullet-proof vests in their escape bid.
** December 15
Three bandits were killed in a shootout with the police and a constable was wounded in the West Ruimveldt Government Scheme. The bandits were later identified as Shiek Tufail, a deportee, Phillip Reynolds and Winston Richards.
** December 18
Heeraman Sahadeo, carpenter of Mon Repos, ECD, was kidnapped during a visit to Buxton to collect wages. Kidnappers had demanded $5M and jewellery as ransom, but to date, the young man has not been released.
** December 19
16-year-old Marlon Joseph was killed in barber
