21-Y-O man shot by cop during alleged robbery, suffers damaged lungs

Relatives of a 21-year-old man who was reportedly shot by a member of the Guyana Police Force last Thursday during an alleged armed robbery is calling for a thorough probe to be conducted.

Kwame Boyce Jnr., of Back Circle, East Ruimveldt, Georgetown was shot to his shoulder and chest area resulting in his lungs being damaged. The young man’s aunt, Karen Yearwood, told the News Room that Kwame was liming in a car with some friends at Rasville, Georgetown when he was shot.

“They claiming that one of the boys was wanted dead or alive and my nephew was shot; I don’t know if it was mistakenly but nobody has come to me since then and told me anything,” the aunt related.

However, the police’s version is that the young man was shot during a high-speed chase following an armed robbery.

“…they were involved in a robbery, he was involved in a robbery; there was a big Police chase and he was shot,” Regional Commander Simon McBean told the News Room on Thursday.

The Commander said Kwame is under police guard at the Georgetown Public Hospital. McBean explained that several police vehicles were involved in the chase.

Yearwood said she took in her nephew after his mother died and raised him as her son.

On Thursday last, she was watching television at about 16:00hrs when a young woman contacted her and told her Kwame had been shot and that the police ranks were reportedly hesitating to take him to the hospital.

“He was shot in his back. He said he put up his two hands after he came out of the car and turned his back and the officer still jump off the bike and shot him,” Yearwood said.

He underwent emergency surgery and spent six days in the intensive care unit (ICU) at the Georgetown Public Hospital. He remains hospitalised.

“I spoke with the doctor on Tuesday morning and he said his lungs are damaged,” Yearwood said.
She is calling for a thorough investigation to be conducted.