Two persons were rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital for treatment yesterday after they were shot around 20:00hrs during an apparent robbery attempt at Plaisance, East Coast Demerara.
Twenty-year-old Dexter Carr was treated at the Georgetown Public Hospital and sent away while the female victim, identified by friends as Bernadette Campbell, was still receiving treatment up to press time last evening. The two were said to be travelling in the front seats of a pink and white minibus when it was attacked by a lone gunman who made his escape after discharging his weapon at them.
Reports suggest that the shooting occurred just after the bus had turned off of Prince Williams Street and onto the Plaisance line top. The bus, eyewitnesses say, stopped and its driver exited for unknown reasons. At this point the gunman, who was reportedly wearing a white toque, approached the passenger side of the bus and told Carr to get out of the way.
Other passengers of the bus are suggesting that the Campbell was targeted because she was wearing jewellery.
Carr, who was sitting at the window seat opened the door and attempted to run and the gunman started firing. His left hip was grazed by a bullet as he attempted to get clear of the gun’s path. Campbell suffered more serious injuries and is said to have fended off her attacker by pelting him in the face with a bottle she had in her possession.
Witnesses are saying that the woman was warned by her sister just moments earlier to take off her jewellery, and Carr has said the woman told him that she saw the man at some point before and that he was acting suspiciously.
Campbell was rushed to the hospital by public-spirited citizens after the gunman made his escape. After he was shot, Carr made his way to “UG” road where he was picked up by a friend and taken to the Hospital.
When he arrived at the hospital he was pointed out by friends of Campbell as a possible accessory to the crime. He was therefore questioned by a police rank at the hospital, but released subsequently. He is expected to give a statement at the Sparendaam Police Station today.
