Essequibo youth fearful for life after gunman opened fire on him

A 20-year-old Onderneeming, Essequibo Coast man is now living in fear that a gunman who opened fire on him in front of his house Sunday night would return.

Brad Da Silva, a labourer, came home about 20:30h on his motorcycle and was waiting on someone from inside to open the gate for him when an unidentified man dressed in a hoodie and face mask walked up and started shooting at him.

“It looked like a target; he [the gunman] keep walking right up to he [Da Silva] and keep shooting but the shots like them catch cold so they didn’t penetrate through the skin,” Da Silva’s stepfather, Orin Klass told the News Room.

Da Silva was shot twice to the upper left shoulder but according to Klass the bullets did not penetrate the skin.

“Just opposite me get a lot with a clump of bushes and he [the gunman] come out from there, like he was there waiting,” Klass explained.

The suspect escaped on foot into the bushes. The stepfather explained that he questioned the young man if he was involved in any activity that might have prompted the shooting but Da Silva is claiming he does not know why anyone would want to harm him. Because he is so fearful for his life, Da Silva did not go to a hospital to treat his injuries.

The family expressed disappointment with the Police in investigating the incident. The stepfather explained that he called the Police at the time of the shooting and after no response he visited the Suddie Police Station but was told there was no patrol to come out and investigate.

When contacted, Regional Commander Woman Superintendent, Crystal Robinson told the News Room that police are investigating the incident.