Police on Wednesday evening made an arrest in relation to the fatal shooting of Debra Blackman, according to Crime Chief Leslie James.
“We have arrested a person of interest who we are now interviewing,” James said yesterday.
Stabroek News was unable to determine if the person arrested is the man who pulled the trigger or one of the other two men who were seen acting suspiciously inside of the Chinese restaurant where Blackman worked.
The entire episode was recorded by security cameras at the restaurant. The police are said to be working assiduously to solve the case.
At least one of the restaurant’s cameras captured the shooter’s face clearly but according to police officials that person was not known to them. It is not immediately clear if investigators have been able to ascertain the identity of the person.
Relatives of the mother of five have dismissed suggestions that the shooting maybe somehow linked to Blackman’s incarcerated son. The woman’s daughter Shelly had told this newspaper that she and other family members have seen the footage and based on what was seen her mother was the victim of an armed robbery. She said too that prior to last Saturday when the woman was shot dead the family had not received any threats and her brother had never informed them that someone was threatening to do them harm because of any disputes he had.
A part of the footage seen by this newspaper showed a young man, dressed in a grey t-shirt, dark-coloured pants and a red cap, standing by the counter. The two men entered after and acted nervously. Though they came in separately, based on the way they were acting it would appear that all three were known to each other. The man in the cap remained standing at the counter and can be seen constantly glancing around. Though he was wearing the cap, at several points his face can be clearly seen.
Stabroek News was told that Blackman was shot as she was preparing to hand over the food ordered. Footage captured from the cameras outside subsequently recorded the gunman fleeing the scene on a CG motor cycle, this newspaper was also told.
Blackman sustained a single gunshot wound which entered her body through her neck and passed out through her shoulder. She died moments after being shot. She will be laid to rest on Sunday.
