State House shooting: Stabbed Presidential Guard regains consciousness, says he is ready to work

Presidential Guard Telon Perreira, who was stabbed five times about his neck and body on Thursday morning, has regained consciousness.

This was announced by President Dr. Irfaan Ali on Thursday night as he began his address to the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (GCCI) annual dinner and awards ceremony.

“Just about 45 minutes before I got here, my spirit was renewed in hope of what humanity is capable of.

“… 45 minutes ago, (Perreira) regained consciousness and I was pleased to speak to him directly. His words to me were, ‘Sir, I am back to work with you tomorrow’,” the Guyanese Head of State related.

Those words, the President said, filled him with a sense of hope and a renewed determination to help herald in Guyana’s development.

The President also thanked the public for their words of support in the aftermath of the Thursday morning incident.

Bethel Ikena Chenezie, who possesses a Nigerian passport, on Thursday morning showed up at State House – the official residence of President Ali and his family – and confronted the Presidential guard in a hut stating: “I want the President.”

Perreira was then stabbed five times by the man, who was armed with a knife.

The attacker then proceeded to disarm a female rank of her gun, walked out of the guard hut, and started firing outside of the compound on Carmichael Street. Both men received treatment at the Georgetown Public Hospital, subsequently.

Chenezie is in a stable condition and is recovering in the hospital’s Intenseive Care Unit (ICU), under police guard.

Police are continuing their investigations into the matter.