Cop shot dead execution-style
Sixth policeman killed since April
Detective Corporal Adrian London was shot dead execution-style last night, the sixth policeman to be gunned down since a heinous wave of crime began earlier this year.
London, who was stationed at the Brickdam Impact Base, died in a hail of bullets at around 11 pm on Joseph Pollydore Street, two houses away from the junction with Mandela Avenue.
Contacted this morning. Police “A” Division Commander, Assistant Commissioner Larry George said that he was not yet in receipt of a full report about the shooting. He said that the incident was being investigated and a statement would be issued later today.
Stabroek News understands from persons at the scene that London was off duty and riding motorcycle CD 5217 east on Joseph Pollydore Street when his attackers pounced. He was pulled from his bike and shot twice in the back. His attackers then reportedly stood over him and discharged a number of rounds into his lifeless body. Police sources told Stabroek News that given the direction in which he was riding, London who lived in South Ruimveldt Gardens, appeared to be on his way home.
The 33-year-old London, who was a Best Cop award recipient, was married on New Year’s Day. He is the sixth policeman to have been killed this year by gunmen who have clearly been targeting law enforcers.
The specific targeting of policeman followed the distribution of pamphlets calling for law enforcers to be killed to avenge the deaths of suspects at the hands of cops.
The wave of cop killings started on April 2 this year when Police Superintendent Leon Fraser was shot dead at Yarrowkabra on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway while he was engaged in an operation to recapture the February 23 prison escapees. This was followed on April 15 by the slaying of police detective Harry Kooseram as he was making his way to work at the Vigilance Police Station. On May 25 Sherwin Alleyne died of wounds he received when he and other policemen were ambushed at Coldingen on the East Coast of Demerara. On May 30, policeman Andy Atwell was killed when bandits attacked the Alberttown Police Station while Corporal Rawle Thomas died on June 14 from gunshot wounds he sustained in Linden.
The killings of some of the policemen have followed deaths of suspects and others at the hands of the police. Kooseram was shot dead on the morning of Shaka Blair’s funeral.
Blair was shot dead by police in Buxton. Last week Wednesday, presidential guards shot two protesters dead after they and others had stormed the Office of the President compound.
The two persons are to be buried today.
