Relatives say that Akeem Andrews had an ongoing feud with his shooter while police say that he was involved in a robbery and was shot. The teenager was shot in the left side of his forehead on Saturday night on Main Street. He was taken to the GPH, and died at about 5:25 am yesterday.
The police, in a press release, said that they are investigating an armed robbery which occurred at about 10:10 pm on Saturday on Main Street. It said that two robbers were involved, one of whom was fatally shot by a policeman, who is also a licensed firearm holder.
The lawmen said that investigations revealed that Kwamina Whyte, 28, of Timehri, East Bank Demerara, and a female friend were sitting on a bench on the Avenue of Main Street when they were confronted by two men armed with knives. The men held them up and took away a cell phone and $6000 from Whyte and a handbag containing $4160 and documents from the female.
According to the statement, a policeman – a Presidential Guard – was passing at the time and upon witnessing the robbery went to the assistance of the victims. “The policeman was attacked by the two armed perpetrators causing him to resort to the use of force during which one of the men was shot to his left side forehead. The other managed to escape”, the statement asserted.
The injured man, who was identified as Andrews, was taken to the GPH where he later died while receiving medical treatment. The knife he used during the incident and the handbag which was stolen from the female victim, with its contents intact, were recovered at the scene, the statement said. It made no mention of whether the shooter was in custody.
Akeem’s relatives told Stabroek News yesterday, however, that they are convinced that he was deliberately shot by the Presidential Guard and denied that he was involved in a robbery. Oswald Andrews, Akeem’s father said that his two sons, Akeem and Keith, had problems with the man, which arose after someone was robbed in the community two months ago and the man’s brother was named by them as the robber. Andrews said that the man was held and was released on bail but ever since the guard had threatened that he would get even with the brothers. He said that the shooter, who he named, grew up in the community and was known to them.
Andrews said that Presidential Guard “caused” the brothers to be held for that robbery but they were released and he along with several of his colleagues visited their home shortly after and threatened them. “(Name of man) said he is going to kill mi son and he did kill me son”, he declared.
Akeem lived in Norton Street and according to another relative, earlier Saturday evening they were at Leopold Street, watching a show, when he said that he wanted to go to his grandmother’s home at Tiger Bay. He was on a bicycle.
According to Andrews, the shooter and some friends were drinking on Main Street when his son passed. He said that Akeem was shot in his head and from what he was told two shots were fired; one in the air and one at his son. He said that after the shooting, the shooter drove away and other persons took Akeem to the hospital.
He was treated at the Accident and Emergency Unit of the GPH, where he remained until he succumbed a few hours later.
Andrews and other relatives were adamant that Akeem was shot because of the problem with the Presidential Guard. He said that the man was at the Brickdam Police station but other relatives saw him on the streets later.
Akeem is survived by his parents, two brothers and two sisters. He was a former student of the Queenstown Secondary School but left a couple of years ago and up to the time of his death was unemployed. He helped his grandmother at the home, relatives said.
