Shot man's relatives: We're upset how he met his death
--- Police launch probe
by Michel Outridge &Shirwin Campbell
Guyana Chronicle
November 21, 2003
Gordon Kingston met with members of the media yesterday at Congress Place, Sophia, after the PNC/R's press briefing.
Kingston described his son as an industrious young man who attended Tuc Ville Primary and then North Ruimveldt Multilateral where he attained three subjects at the CXC level - English, Science and Mathematics.
Ryan, his father said, "was self-employed at the time of his unfortunate demise and possessed industrious abilities that are evident from his farm that he single handedly cultivated."
According to the father, Ryan was quiet, never troubled anyone and he was a frequent churchgoer at the Nazarene Church. "He took great pleasure in taking children to the Church."
The father added that Ryan was very honest, so when he heard that his son was a suspect, it caused a lot of shock waves in his mind as he wondered what really went wrong.
He recounted what he was told from an eyewitness, that three men came out an unmarked car and demanded to see Ryan's bag, but he did not stop because he did not know the men. As he decided to walk they pulled the bag from him, the father related.
"His reaction was natural, he pulled back his bag," the father informed he media.
The father quoted the eyewitness who said that when his son pulled back his bag the policeman pulled out his service revolver and shot him in the region of the heart. Ryan fell on his face and while lying face down the police went over him and shot him two times in the back.
According to relatives Ryan was conducing business, selling his produce when he was shot and killed.
The father even offered the media a tour of his son's farm. He planted pigeon peas, cherries and a variety of vegetables.
Kingston said the bag which had clothing, a bottle of coconut oil and a paper with personal info that can identify him, had not been returned and no senior official from Government or the Police Force offered any explanation, or visited the home up to yesterday.
When questioned if the family would take legal actions, he promptly replied that the family would give the law a chance to come out with integrity, before they take any action.
Yesterday, on a visit to Ryan Kingston's Lot 3674 North Ruimveldt residence and his farm, his mother with other enraged relatives voiced their anger in the way in which Ryan met his death.
Daniellette Kingston, mother of Ryan displaying his untouched meal he prepared before leaving the home to sell his cherries.
His mother, Daniellette Kingston, said that her son was an agriculture teacher at a city school who developed a nervous condition about six years ago and was admitted to the Observation Ward of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.
The grieving woman told the Guyana Chronicle that her son was a very reserved individual who cooked his food, since he was a vegetarian, and earned his living by selling his produce from his farm.
"He returned from Glasgow, East Bank Berbice, on Monday after visiting his aunt and had in his bag a bottle of coconut oil, two jerseys and a piece of paper which had his name and address in the event that anything should happen to him.
Daniellette related that after Ryan was admitted he said that he was not mentally ill and wanted to be discharged and even refused to take his medication.
She could not say what apparently triggered his nervous condition but stated that he was not a burden nor violent. "In fact, he kept to himself."
The police yesterday said that an investigation has been launched into Ryan's death.