Randy Morris, a suspect in numerous armed robberies, was yesterday shot dead following a daring gunpoint attempted robbery in Regent Street and a dramatic chase through several streets. But the quick police work that led to his capture and that of his accomplice was heavily criticized by eyewitnesses who said was Morris was riddled with bullets as he pleaded for his life.
Up to press time last evening, the accomplice who has been identified as Troyan Moore, 28, of D’Urban Street and who is also known to the police, was in custody assisting police with their investigations into the robbery.
Hospital sources said the accomplice, who had a wound on his face, arrived at the hospital in the company of heavily armed policemen. He was later escorted from the medical institution by the ranks. Morris called `Remey’, they said, was pronounced dead on arrival just before 5.30 pm and his body bore multiple gunshot wounds. Morris was 32-years-old and a resident of Lot 263 Freeman Street, East La Penitence.
Based on the accounts of eyewitnesses, the man sustained as many as 12 gunshots to his head, neck, back, shoulder and legs.
The afternoon drama started around 5 pm at Regent Street and Orange Walk, in front of the Bourda Market. A vendor who operates in that area recalled that a Bourda Market stallholder was standing in front of the market gate when two men walked up to her and one of them began hitting her in the head with a gun.
The man, who did not want his identity revealed, said the two robbers who were well dressed were after a bag that the woman had in her possession. It was explained to this newspaper that from all indications the market was closing up and the woman was waiting at the gate for her husband.
After being gun butted, the man said, the woman collapsed and “blacked out”.
According to a police press release, the businesswoman, Nandranie Sookwah, 45, of Alexander Village fell to the ground on top of the bag.
The two robbers, he said, then ran east along Regent Street to Cummings Street, where a car was parked. Police said the car was a silver grey Toyota Raum, PPP 962.
The eyewitness related that the woman’s husband, after being alerted to the situation ran behind the men firing at them. Based on what this newspaper was told, one of them was shot.
The duo also did not anticipate that police would have been in the area at that time.
The eyewitness said that around the same time the woman’s husband was shooting at the men, two uniformed policemen on motorcycles were heading west along Regent Street. They immediately give chase.
The police press release also said that two off-duty policemen who were in the vicinity saw what transpired and gave chase in another motor vehicle, while also informing Brickdam Operations Room about the attempted robbery. Police mobile patrols were alerted via the radio network and they quickly responded.
Stabroek News was told that the men attempted to lose the policemen by driving through a number of streets, before ending up along Peter Rose Street in Queenstown. Thereafter, they turned into Church Street and headed west, driving illegally along the one-way street. However, as they drove into the ongoing traffic their path was hampered a buildup of vehicles owing to a truck offloading mixed cement at a building under construction at the corner of Church and New Garden streets.
As Morris and his accomplice tried to avoid the oncoming traffic they crashed into two cars.
Based on the accounts of eyewitnesses, after realizing that they could go no further, Morris jumped out of the car and ran into a nearby yard. He then jumped the back fence into an alleyway where he was cornered before he could reach Peter Rose Street.
His accomplice surrendered to the police almost immediately.
A resident told this newspaper that the two “plainclothes” policemen fired two shots behind the fleeing Morris and moments later six to eight “black clothes” policemen who arrived on motorcycles went into the yard in search of the man.
The driver of one of the vehicles that the robbers slammed into recounted that as he was driving along Church Street he noticed the car speeding along the one-way. Thereafter, he saw when two men exited and ran into a nearby yard. He said that one of the men, after seeing the police, just raised his hands in surrender and was arrested.
Riddled
The police press release said ranks confronted Morris and he opened fire on the police, who returned fire and he was fatally shot. An unlicensed .32 Taurus pistol with five matching rounds was recovered by the police, the release said.
Meanwhile, another eyewitness told this newspaper that the police stood over Morris and riddled him with bullets.
The eyewitness, who did not want to be named, said he saw several policemen around Morris who was “holding onto something”. The man recalled seeing the police continuously hitting Morris, who was on his knees. “After that they ease off and a couple of them start firing,” the eyewitness said, adding that after the first two shots Morris fell and rapid gunfire followed.
At the time Morris was shot he was wearing only a pair of jeans. A red t-shirt and matching cap was found in the area where he was shot.
Stabroek News was told that Morris pleaded with the police not to kill him because he had children.
When this newspaper arrived on the scene, there was commotion. Police were seen running with long guns in hand. Seconds later there was rapid gunfire and motorists and residents scampered to safety.
Later at the scene where Morris was shot a large crowd gathered and persons were openly discussing what had transpired as police searched the alleyway. A large amount of blood had settled on a nearby bridge and the house owner later had it cleaned.
Over at the hospital, wails erupted as news of Morris’s death circulated. The mother of his children wept openly as she loudly voiced that she intended to get justice.
A woman identified as Morris’s mother was not initially told that he had died. The woman had rushed down to the hospital after being told he was involved in an incident. After viewing the body the woman erupted into tears and later declined to speak with members of the media.
Another woman, who was identified as Morris’s aunt, said between sobs, “Ah see it comin long now. I talk to Randy but he didn’t listen.” Relatives had in the past alleged that the police were out to kill him.
A wanted bulletin was issued last November for Morris for questioning in relation to robbery under arms committed on miner Kenneth Joaquin on November 9, 2011 at Hunter Street and Mandela Avenue, Georgetown.
On March 9, Morris was shot by police after he allegedly pulled a knife on ranks. Police had said in a press release that ranks had gone to a house at Quamina Street, Georgetown, in search of Morris who was wanted for questioning in relation to a number of armed robberies.
Morris attacked the police with a knife causing a rank to resort to the use of force and a round was discharged which grazed him to his abdomen, the release said.
Several days later he was charged with robbing miner Roger Hinds of $9.6 million in gold and diamonds on January 10.
Back in May 2010, Morris had been charged and placed before the court over 3 gunpoint robberies committed in one day.
It was alleged that on March 2, he robbed Sheldon Cheddie of a gold chain, a gold band and other items valued $740,000 in total; Tamika Persaud of a Motorola cell phone valued at $38,000 and Dwayne London of a gold and diamond chain and a ring among other jewellery totalling $2.1 million.
