By Zoisa Fraser
Police last night said they were hunting for four men after gunmen with high-powered rifles shot wildly at a pick-up on the Ogle Airstrip Road and chased it in their vehicle while continuing their gunfire until it reached the East Coast Public Road.
During the midday ordeal which lasted around five minutes, the driver of the pick-up was shot in his buttocks and a female passenger injured her knee. They were both admitted to the Georgetown Hospital.
The police last night said they were looking for four men whose call names are `Trini’; `Yankee’; `Capone’ and `Sandman’. It urged members of the public who know the whereabouts of these men to contact the police.
It is believed that the gunmen were after what was being transported in the vehicle since according to information reaching this newspaper, the driver, Michael Jackson would usually transport goods coming out of the interior for a Brazilian company based in central Georgetown and other persons.
Up to press time last night, Jackson, 32, of Kitty and Vanessa Mendonca, 34, were patients of the city hospital. Jackson sustained a bullet wound to the buttocks and was taken to the operating theatre to have it removed while Mendonca is nursing cuts from broken glass to her knees and other parts of the body. Her knee had to be bandaged.
A statement from police yesterday stated that they are investigating the attempted robbery that occurred around 12.15 pm along the Ogle Access Road, ECD.
“Investigations so far revealed that Michael Jackson who is employed with an interior charter service had gone to the Ogle Aerodrome to collect cargo and other items and was on his way out from the aerodrome in motor jeep GJJ 7277”, said the release.
It added that a flight dispatcher of the same charter service, Margaret Maxius along with two female cleaners and a male porter who worked at the aerodrome, were being given a lift by Jackson.
According to the release, upon approaching the Access Road, Jackson observed a motor car parked across the road and a man standing outside with a firearm with two other men inside. Suspecting a robbery attempt, it added, he accelerated the vehicle and the gunmen opened fire.
The attackers, police said gave chase in the motor car, discharging rounds at the vehicle but as Jackson reached the East Coast public road, the men turned back and escaped along the Railway Embankment.
The release said that Jackson managed to drive his vehicle to near the Sparendaam Police Station before losing consciousness. The cleaner, Mendonca sustained cuts to her feet from glass fragments while the other persons were uninjured.
Jackson’s vehicle was left with a number of bullet holes and the rear windscreen was shattered. A 7.62 x 39 spent shell and a warhead at the scene was discovered at the scene of the shooting. Police are continuing their investigations.
The injured duo was taken to the Accident and Emergency Unit at 12.41 pm yesterday.
Stabroek News understands that as the black Tundra pick up that was transporting the five persons turned left onto the access road the occupants noticed a maroon-coloured car which appeared to be an AT 192 Carina model parked at the side of the road.
About four men armed with “long guns” were standing nearby and as the pick-up approached the men just opened fire before jumping into their vehicle and continuing to fire as the two vehicles sped north along the road. Residents in the area recalled hearing one set of gunfire and then another set several seconds later.
Recounting her frightening ordeal, Mendonca told this newspaper that when the men started firing Jackson continued driving and everyone else in the vehicle was screaming.
From all appearance the men might have been tracking Jackson’s movement and were waiting for him to leave the aerodrome. This newspaper understands that Jackson makes frequent trips from the aerodrome to the city.
“We tell he
keep driving”
Mendonca said that despite Jackson being shot they urged him to continue driving.
“He get shoot but we tell he keep driving… When we reach the public road, he loose the steering wheel and me ain’t know how we manage to turn. God was with us. We just kept praying”, the woman said, the fear still evident in her voice.
She added that while the gunmen were shooting the glass on the left side of the vehicle was shattered as a result of which she sustained cuts.
She recalled that they were screaming and the two vehicles sped along the road. When they raised their heads shortly after crossing over the railway line, the car with the gunmen was nowhere in sight.
Mendonca said they may have turned down the Railway Line while Jackson went straight across in the direction of the public road. They managed to reach the Sparendaam Police Station nearby, she added.
Asked what could have triggered the incident, she said that it appears that the motive was robbery as Jackson transported items brought by aircraft from interior locations.
Gunshots licking
all round
When Stabroek News visited the area yesterday afternoon, things were back to normal. Residents recalled hearing countless shots followed by two vehicles speeding along the access road.
One resident said that she heard the shots but by the time she got to her veranda she could not see anything as trees were blocking her line of sight. She however said that she understands that police were in the area conducting investigations.
Another resident said that she heard “many, many” gunshots and when she looked out she saw a burgundy coloured car trailing a pick up.
“Them two din speeding down the road… shots licking left, right and centre”, the resident said.
