A 23-year-old man who was shot dead by a policeman at Haslington on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) on Friday attempted to sell an illegal firearm to a plain-clothes member of the Guyana Police Force.
This is according to the official statement issued by Police Headquarters more than six hours after the shootout.
Dead is Quindon Bacchus who resided at Golden Grove, ECD. According to the police’s version of the shooting, at around 14:30hrs, cops went to Haslington New Scheme when they saw Bacchus with a firearm.
According to the report, the ranks were at the time carrying out an intelligence-led operation in the area, based on information received earlier in the day.
“The ranks had made contact with a 22-year-old construction worker who provided certain information. As a result of the information, the worker led the ranks to Bacchus who was in possession of a firearm and intended to sell it to one of the ranks,” the police report noted.
It was further noted that the plain-clothes rank, who was armed, made arrangement to purchase the firearm from Bacchus, who left and then returned with the firearm.
“In the process of handing over the firearm to the rank, an alarm was raised. As a result, the now deceased man ran in a southern direction and discharged a round in the rank’s direction who drew his service pistol and returned fire.
“Bacchus then ran further south and jumped into a yard, and the rank gave chase and while in close proximity, Bacchus discharged several other rounds towards the rank who took cover and returned fire, hitting the now deceased man about his body,” the statement, issued by Head of the Police Corporate Communications Unit, Mark Ramotar, noted.
Bacchus collapsed and the firearm was later identified as a .380 pistol with a magazine that had one round.
“The said rank took possession of the firearm and ammunition. The deceased was picked up in a conscious state and escorted to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was seen and examined by a Doctor who pronounced him dead while he was receiving treatment.”
Hospital officials, however, confirmed to the News Room that Bacchus was pronounced on arrival at the hospital.
At 15:45hrs, the body was taken to Memorial Gardens Funeral Home where it awaits an autopsy.
The firearm and ammunition that was recovered was taken to the Cove and John Police Station where it was photographed and dusted for prints.
The construction worker was arrested and taken to the Cove and John Police Station where he was interviewed under camera and a written statement was taken as to what transpired. He was placed in custody pending investigation.
One .380 spent shell and two 9mm spent shells were recovered at the scene.
