Young women are leaving the village of Stanleytown in droves as wanted man Neil Bovell continues his terror rampage.

He came very close to being apprehended on Saturday morning when a party of policemen confronted him in the area but the exercise ended in disaster when three bullets intended for Bovell hit an elderly man and killed him in his own yard.

In a press release yesterday the police say they were investigating the circumstances of the accidental shooting of 70-year-old Eustace Small of Stanley-town, West Bank Demerara around 9 am on Saturday during a search for Bovell.

The police say during the pursuit “an undercover operation was launched which was apparently compromised leading to the accidental shooting.” The release added that a member of the Auxiliary arm of the force, who resides in the area was in police custody assisting in investigation.

The force expressed profound sadness and regret at what it termed a most unfortunate accidental shooting.

Stabroek News visited Stanleytown yesterday only to see young women with bags leaving the village. Those who spoke to this newspaper said they were fed-up of the situation, noting that prior to Saturday’s incident Bovell was repeatedly seen in the area and calls were made to the police but they never showed up. One of the young women told this newspaper that from how it appeared Bovell was very comfortable in the area, not only because of the bushes, but also through the help he had been receiving from relatives and friends living there.

“I don’t care what people say. I am leaving. When they catch he ah gon come back.”

Small also known as `Uncle Bye Bye’ was in his backyard attending to his farm when he was shot.

Speaking to this newspaper yesterday a resident said that the police on Saturday morning received a tip that Bovell had threatened to chop a man with a cutlass the said morning. According to the resident the young man was forced to run away from Bovell. It was shortly after this that the police confronted the fugitive.

The resident who witnessed the incident said Bovell had gone to the home of his brother, who has since fled the village, as part of his regular day’s activities. His brother however was not home but he remained in the yard conversing with a carpenter who is currently working on the house.

The man recalled that it was about 9 am when a party of policemen pulled up in front of the house, but before they could get to the yard Bovell spotted them and began to run.

The man said it was a lively chase on the Stanleytown access road. Stabroek News averaged the distance from Bovell’s brother’s home to Eustace’s yard at around 80 metres. The man said at one time the lawmen were closing in on Bovell and realising this the fugitive ran into Eustace’s yard.

Eustace was at the back of his yard attending to his farm when he saw Bovell and was about to get out of his and the police’s way when gunshots rang out.

“All I hear was bam! bam! bam! and when I look to see if Bovell was shot I see he still running through the man’s yard on his way into the bushes.”

The man said it appeared that all three bullets hit Eustace whose feet buckled before he collapsed and died. The man noted that at this point the policemen virtually gave up the chase, leaving Bovell to disappear in the bushes.

He said after attending to the elderly man they merely walked through some of the bushes before leaving the area. The man said he believed that the police could have apprehended Bovell if they had pursued him through the bushes.

“He knows the terrain well because this is where he has been living since he became a wanted man. But the man ain’t get no gun all he gat is a shine cutlass. The police could a fire a couple bullets in he,” the man said.

Yesterday’s Eustace home was tightly locked. Residents vowed to be on the alert for the fugitive but are calling on the police to maintain constant patrols in the area.

Bovell is wanted for allegedly killing his reputed wife, Phillipa Harrison during a domestic dispute. He is also being sought for questioning in relation to the murder of Vernon Bernard and the abduction of Bernard’s daughter. (Nigel Williams)