Crime Chief Seelall Persaud has said that there are currently too many gaps in the investigation of last Wednesday’s fatal shooting at Linden for charges to be laid and he is appealing to residents of Linden who have information on the circumstances to come forward.
“There are several things that we cannot explain,” Persaud told Stabroek News.
From all indications, the gaps are stalling the police’s investigation into what occurred that day and who should be held responsible.
“The nation is looking for answers,” Persaud noted, while urging those who might be fearful to come forward, since many questions that are still unanswered cannot be allowed to linger. “We (the police) need to find out what happened and take appropriate action against all those involved,” he added.
Lindeners had come out in their numbers for the start of a five-day protest over an increase in power tariffs, which took effect July 1. By the end of the first day, Ron Somerset, Allan Lewis and Selwyn Bouyea were dead and at least 20 others were injured after police opened fire on protestors near the Mackenzie-Wismar Bridge. Police have said that they had to resort to using tear gas and later fired shotgun cartridges at protestors, after missiles were hurled at them—an account challenged by some of the injured and others present at the protest. A post-mortem examination on the bodies of the three men on Wednesday determined that they were killed by live rounds and it was suggested that these were fired from handguns.
Persaud yesterday said a police audit has revealed that only four shotgun cartridges were unaccounted for from the ranks who were at the scene at the time of last Wednesday’s fatal shooting at Linden, in which three persons were killed after police opened fire on protestors. Persaud noted that this is an indication that the unaccounted for cartridges were used during the protest. He said that bullets taken from the bodies of the dead and injured are still being analysed and this would determine where they came from.
The ranks present at the time of the shooting are still performing their duties, Persaud said. They are from Linden and the city, he noted.
Asked whether ranks will be charged soon, Persaud said that he has been hearing this suggestion over the last few days. However, he stressed that there were too many gaps in the investigation for charges to be laid.
Up to press time last evening, only two of the injured were still hospitalised, including one who was in the Intensive Care Unit of the Georgetown Hospital.
Based on the accounts of persons at the scene of the shooting, up to about midday on the day, Divisional Commander Clifton Hickens met with protestors at the bridge, ensuring that there was order.
Accounts stated that Hickens, who is based in Georgetown, left the bridge around midday and it was unclear whether he stayed in Linden or returned to Georgetown.
Protestors recounted to this newspaper that sometime before 6pm, word spread that “black clothes policemen” were heading to the bridge way. As the ranks, who were reportedly not Linden-based, approached the bridge, the protestors walked towards them. Moments later, protestors said that tear gas canisters were hurled at them and subsequently gunshots rang out.
It was following the shooting that angry residents began setting fires, in the process destroying and damaging buildings and vehicles.
Acting Police Commis-sioner Leroy Brumell, while opting not to answer questions posed by this newspaper, has since said that a full-scale investigation is ongoing to determine who is culpable.
