Giovanni Leitch, one of two men who were shot multiple times by gunmen at Sparendaam, East Coast Demerara two Saturdays ago, on Monday succumbed to his injuries and police say that the attack is being investigated as an act of reprisal.
At the time of his death, Leitch, called ‘Jo Jo,’ was a patient of the Intensive Care Unit of the Georgetown Hospital. Leitch was said to have sustained severe internal damage and though he was showing signs of improvement, his condition was still listed as very critical. He died around 6 pm.
His friend, Devon Agard, called ‘Chucky,’ who was also wounded during the shooting, remains hospitalised but his condition is listed as stable.
The men, both 21, came under fire at Northslip Street, Sparendaam by two unmasked gunmen who fired several shots, hitting Leitch four times about the body and Agard twice to his abdomen.
Crime Chief Seelall Persaud said that police are working on information received that the shooting was in retaliation for a crime that Leitch and Agard had committed.
He did not go into the specifics but stressed that the two men were known to the police.
He said that Agard “hasn’t told us anything yet. We tried several times but he hasn’t said anything to us.”
Relatives of Leitch, however, have since said that he was not involved in any wrongdoing. Agard and his relatives, meanwhile, gave refused to speak to members of the press.
Eyewitnesses told Stabroek News at the scene that the two young gunmen were walking east along Market Street and as they neared an intersection, they “calmly walked up and opened fire.” After riddling the men with bullets, they said, the two gunmen walked away. One fled on foot while another jumped into a waiting yellow car, which was parked on the Plaisance ‘Line Top.’
When Stabroek News visited Leitch’s Middle Street, Sparendaam home yesterday, his relatives were distraught. They said that when they left the hospital on Monday afternoon, he had appeared well. However, shortly after they left, the hospital called and informed them of his death. It was explained to them that Leitch began vomiting blood and efforts were being made to take him to the operating theatre but he died before this could be done.
Beverly Durant, the young man’s aunt, recalled that when she left the hospital, Leitch was speaking. Although he was hooked up to machines, she explained, he still managed to communicate with relatives. “He even told he motha that he want bread and tea dis morning,” the woman said.
Durant also said she was surprised at the way police were investigating the shooting.
Although ranks were given the licence plate number of a car that a man who came to the hospital threatening Leitch’s life boarded, they had not acted on the information, she said. The man had visited the hospital to check on the wounded man’s condition. At some point he told a young woman closely linked to Leitch that he got what he deserved.
Durant called on the police to do more to capture the killers.
She recalled that she saw her nephew moments before the shooting. He was heading to a nearby barbershop to have a haircut, in preparation to accompany her and other relatives on a trip to Berbice, when he was shot.
Leitch is survived by his parents, Titus Leitch and Emily Durant, and two siblings.
