West Berbice man injured after police shooting

A 33-year-old man from West Coast Berbice is nursing serious injuries after he was shot by police at the Blairmont Police Station.

Steve Vyfhuis of Lot 309, Number 9 Village, West Coast Berbice, who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, was previously involved in incidents in March that resulted in damage to a vehicle and a church building.

According to Vyfhuis, police ranks visited his home on March 13 and instructed him to report to the station. An agreement was later reached for compensation for the damages.

Vyfhuis reported that on March 14, while in police custody, he informed officers that a restroom at the station was overflowing. He stated that after being given his clothing, he refused to return to the holding cell. During a subsequent confrontation with officers, he was shot in the left foot.

“Why I didn’t go back into the cell is because It was flooded. There is no way I could have stayed in such a cell. The sanitary condition was really good and the wastewater was coming out, plus my lunch was on the floor. Their main intention was for me to stay in there,” he revealed.

He was taken to the Bath Regional Hospital, where he received treatment for injuries to his foot. Medical assessments indicate that further surgery may be required.

Vyfhuis and his mother, Bernadette Vyfhuis, are calling for an investigation into the incident. His mother also stated that she had requested that her son be taken to the New Amsterdam Psychiatric Hospital for evaluation.

“I don’t like the way the Police handle the situation. In the first place, they don’t listen to you. They mean that he did what he shouldn’t have done and they meant to really put him in the cell. The people made reports to the station and the police said they are going to charge Steve and I said ‘don’t charge him’. I agreed let we pay them which we did. We went to the J.P. and we all got a letter each,” she explained.

“I need justice. We are suffering physically and psychologically. The pain is a lot. Too many parents, mothers have been crying for their children. Why is this so? Why the law permit these things? When you see these police behaving in this kind of conduct, get rid of them, I don’t mean kill them, don’t hire people like them,” she disclosed.

Police Commander for Region Five, Lonsdale Withrite, confirmed that an investigation into the matter is ongoing.