-reports say
Police in neighbouring Venezuela have reportedly arrested a 17-year-old boy who is being fingered in a robbery which resulted in the death of a 36-year-old Timehri, East Bank Demerara (EBD) businessman on Saturday.
Reports are that around 12.30pm on Saturday, Higgins, 36, of Hyde Park, Timehri who is popularly known as ‘Lionheart,’ was over the border in Venezuela not far from the mining community of Kaikan in the Cuyuni making a purchase at a shop when he was accosted by two men.
According to the man’s brother Neil, his sibling was attacked by the men as he was preparing to purchase rations for his mining camp, and during a scuffle, four shots from a firearm rang out. He said his brother was hit in the region of his heart while one of the attackers sustained a gunshot wound to his leg. Higgins had been operating a land dredge at Kaikan for the past several years.
The businessman was taken to a medical centre in the area where the incident occurred but the facility was not equipped to handle his injuries. He was later rushed to San Felix, a border community in Venezuela which is home to many Guyanese, where he succumbed to his injuries as he had lost a substantial amount of blood. The suspect was later taken into police custody.
The deceased also operated a transportation service at Timehri and would travel to Kaikan where a large mining community exists. He left for the area some three weeks ago and was expected to travel back to the coast later this month.
At the home several friends gathered to lend support to the family and some recounted the fond memories they had of Higgins while others expressed disgust at the manner in which the man met his death.
Arrangements were being finalized yesterday to have his body returned to the coast and he is expected to be buried later this week.