Was wanted man, ‘Cobra,’ part of the gang that unleashed a barrage of gunfire during the robbery at Plaisance two weeks ago, which left two men dead? Police suggest that he was, and that a key member of his gang was killed that night, but there are still unanswered questions about the people involved and what actually took place.
Police say that ‘Cobra,’ identified by his relatives as 17-year-old Tyrone Rowe, is the head of an infamous gang tied to a string of armed robberies and at least one murder in the past few months in and around the city.
Though the wanted man was implicated in this latest criminal assault, many observers are asking whether he was indeed behind it.
The police are yet to produce the evidence which links Rowe to the Plaisance incident, or any of the other crimes he is being accused of. Police Commissioner Henry Greene has said that the police are relying on informants to help capture Rowe, since they do not know what he looks like; nevertheless, they still went ahead and issued a wanted bulletin for him. Greene linked Rowe to a shootout at East Ruimveldt in July during which 17-year-old Osafie Johnson and national footballer Dexter Bentick were shot and injured. According to the Commissioner, the teen (Johnson) who is part of the Cobra gang opened fire on the police and was later found with a gun. More than a month later Johnson is yet to be charged and the investigations into this incident have seemingly gone cold.
Speaking recently on the investigations into the Plaisance shooting which claimed the life of robber Anthony Taylor, 24, and later that of Troy Collymore who was at the Datt’s Drugstore when at least three armed bandits arrived, Crime Chief Seelall Persaud said that there was no new information.
He said that the four persons who had been held for questioning had been since released on bail.
Police recovered warheads at the scene but according Persaud they had not yet been analyzed. It is unclear when this will be done.
The survivors have refused to speak to Stabroek News despite several attempts to contact them in order to clear up the inconsistencies in the story.
According to the police version of the events, around 9.45 pm on August 5, overseas based Guyanese Noel Phillips, Collymore of Plaisance Squatting Area and Chandrika Datt called ‘Shiv,’ 27, of Industry, were chatting in front of a drugstore owned by Datt, when he left to close the store after selling an item to a customer.
At this point, a gunman entered and held him up while Taylor called ‘Bow Wow’ and another accomplice, who were also armed, accosted Phillips and Collymore outside. The armed man took away a quantity of jewellery valued at $320,000 along with eight laptop computers from Datt, while his accomplices took away jewellery valued at $600,000 and an undisclosed sum of cash from Phillips.
“During the robbery rounds were discharged which resulted in Taylor being shot and killed.” Phillips was shot in his right arm and chest, Collymore was shot in the head, and Clyde Harris also of Plaisance who was in the vicinity, was shot in his left jaw, the police said.
The two other perpetrators escaped, but the police did not say in which direction or by what means they escaped. They would have been carrying eight laptop computers which might have been somewhat burdensome.
Based on the police story there were three bandits, but no mention was made as to who first opened fire. There were suggestions that at least two of the bandits opened fire after they were challenged.
An eyewitness had recalled hearing about fourteen gunshots.
He became aware that something was going on when he heard the first four shots. Datt was seen running from the area towards the Line top after the first few shots were heard.
When questioned about the barrage of gunfire, the crime chief had explained that this had occurred after some of the victims struggled with the armed perpetrators whom they knew.
During the scuffle, he added, the robbers discharged rounds.
Though Persaud did not say which of the victims knew the gunmen, Stabroek News was informed that Collymore may have known the attackers.
A senior police officer had said that Taylor was a key figure in the ‘Cobra’ gang and was known to the police.
His relatives have since denied this saying it was impossible since the dead robber was released from jail in May after a wounding charge against him had been dismissed.
He had been in jail for two years. Police had visited Taylor’s Charlestown home several times in search of him, the last occasion being just over a month ago before the Plaisance incident. Relatives could not explain Taylor’s presence in Plaisance.
The officer added that Rowe might have been one of the robbers.