An elderly Chateau Margot resident shot himself dead with a shotgun yesterday, shortly after firing at his daughter and trying to break into the apartment where she hid from him.
The East Coast Demerara community was rocked by the death of Joseph Rodrigues called “Jukket,” 87, of M29 Chateau Margot, who shot himself twice. After wounding himself the first time, he managed to climb a flight of stairs and later fired the fatal bullet as he sat in a chair in his living room.
Rodrigues, who was a farmer and was originally from the Pomeroon area, had been a licensed firearm holder since he was 16. Members of his family yesterday told Stabroek News that although he was unwell recently, the man never exhibited suicidal tendencies. Police, however, said the shooting resulted after a confrontation over money owed to Rodrigues.
In a statement, police said minutes before noon Rodrigues “once again confronted his daughter” Angelia Rodrigues, about money that he claimed was owed to him by the now deceased father of her children. The elderly man attacked the woman with a piece of wood, which she managed to take away after which he collected his licensed shotgun and discharged a round a her. “It was reported that Joseph went back into the house and shot himself in the head,” police said.
When Stabroek News arrived at the scene almost an hour after the shooting, forensic investigators were busily processing the scene. They recovered four spent shells. Police officials told this newspaper that the man’s body bore gunshot wounds to the face and shoulder.
Rodrigues and his daughter lived in the top flat of the house. She later took refuge in the bottom flat apartment, where her son and his wife reside, to get away from him. While her son and his wife were not at home, her daughter-in-law’s mother, grand-daughter and a two-year-old child were there.
Based on the timeline of events given by family members, Rodrigues used a piece of wood to break louver panes on two windows of the apartment. Afterward, he picked up a concrete block and proceeded to the back of the building, where he tried to break down the backdoor in order to gain entry.
When this proved unsuccessful, the armed Rodrigues discharged a round while returning to the upper flat.
Blood was evident there and a spent shell was found nearby. While bleeding profusely from his self-inflicted wound, the man continued climbing the stairs. He then sat in a chair, placed the gun between his legs and used his toe to release another round.
The man’s distraught grand daughter-in-law, who identified herself as “Angela,” said that she was at work in the area when her teenage daughter called and informed her that “grandfather” was “shooting up” and “breakin’ up window.”
She told the teen that she would travel home immediately but the girl advised her against it, explaining that Rodrigues said that he would shoot anyone seen leaving or entering the yard. Angela said that she made a report to the Beterverwagting Police Station before calling back her daughter to ascertain what was happening. At that point, the girl informed her that she had heard a gunshot from the upstairs apartment and that she heard “no one walking” afterward.
Angela said that she last spoke to Rodrigues on Thursday night, when he told her that he was feeling unwell. She gave him aspirin and he left.
The man’s grandson, Atainne De Silva added that he last spoke with his grandfather before he left for work yesterday morning. He said that they discussed his gun licence.
The shooting left the East Coast Demerara community in shock. A neighbour recalled hearing three gunshots just before noon. The woman, who asked not to be named, heard a loud sound but thought it was a piece of zinc falling. She later heard another sound which sounded closer and she decided to venture to the front of her property. While there, she heard a groaning sound followed by a loud blast that she later realised was a gunshot.
The woman said that she knew Rodrigues very well and he visited her shop around 11am and bought two envelopes. He appeared to be unwell and advised him to visit a doctor.
