A West Ruimveldt man was shot dead last evening along Mandela Avenue, after an argument between two motorists culminated in gunfire.
The dead man has been identified as Elvis Fernandes, 24, of Mandela Avenue, West Ruimveldt, who sustained a gunshot to the chest.
The shooter, a passenger in a minibus driven by one of the feuding motorists, was also shot by a plain clothes policeman who was at the scene when the dispute occurred. He has been identified as Lloyd Britton, 20, of Beterwerwagting, East Coast Demerara, and he is now under police guard at the Georgetown Hospital, police said in a release last evening.
When this newspaper visited the residence of the deceased, Fernandes father said “I can’t give you any information” when approached to comment on the incident.
According to police, the shooting had its genesis in an argument between a bus driver and the driver of a car over an accident involving the two vehicles at Mandela Avenue earlier. The drivers cross paths again on Mandela Avenue around 6:45pm as the bus stopped to put off a passenger and another argument ensued between the drivers.
Fernandes and a plain clothes policeman were in the car at the time and Fernandes became involved in the argument. It was during the argument that Fernandes was “shot to his chest by a passenger in the minibus and who had begun discharging rounds from a firearm.”
The release said “the policeman who was making efforts to pacify the situation responded and discharged a round from his service firearm which struck the armed man (Britton).” Britton then re-entered the bus and was taken to the hospital by the bus driver. Fernandes was later pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.
