Kaneville man shot dead during hunting trip; friend in custody

Police are investigating the fatal shooting of 29-year-old Lakeram Persaud, a Guyanese of East Indian descent from Kaneville, East Bank Demerara, which occurred around 11:30 hrs on Saturday at Friendship backdam, East Bank Demerara.

The suspect, Rockie Blackman, a 64-year-old hunter of Bachelor’s Adventure, East Coast Demerara, is in custody assisting investigators. Blackman, who has held a firearm licence for two decades, was carrying his 12-gauge Remington shotgun during the expedition.

Initial reports suggest that Persaud and Blackman, along with their friends Wayne Gordon, 58, and Jacob Summer, 29, had gone hunting for cappadari in the backdam—a regular activity the group has shared for years.

According to Gordon and Summer, the men were suddenly attacked by African bees and ran in different directions. Amid the chaos, they claimed to have heard a gunshot. When the bees settled, they went in search of their companions and discovered Persaud lying in a trench with a severe wound to the back of his head.

Police investigators who processed the scene found an empty shotgun casing about four feet from Persaud’s body. The victim was taken to the Diamond Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead by Dr. James.

Blackman, Gordon, and Summer were all taken into custody. Police confirmed that their hands were swabbed for gunshot residue as part of ongoing investigations.