Almost three weeks after he was shot in the neck as he and friends were allegedly playing with a gun, Devon Howell yesterday succumbed to his injuries at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH).
Howell, 20, of 87 DaSilva Street, Kitty had been admitted in a critical condition to the public hospital shortly after the November 21 shooting and up to the time of his death he had been in the intensive care unit.
When the Howell residence was visited by Stabroek News yesterday, relatives and friends had gathered to offer their condolences. Howell’s mother told this newspaper that she received a call at about 3 am yesterday informing her of her son’s death. She added that Howell’s breathing had been fading since Sunday when the family visited. The doctors, she said, had reportedly been working on Howell all night before he passed away. Howell had suffered from at least one heart failure before his death.
Howell’s upper spinal cord was reportedly damaged as a result of the shot and he never regained consciousness.
Relatives of the dead electrician described him as quiet and very willing to help others. He was also well-loved by everyone within the area and always stayed out of trouble.
Meanwhile, Howell’s accused shooter remains on remand after being denied bail in the George-town Magistrates’ Courts.
Allister Woolford, 20, a member of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) was charged with discharging a loaded firearm at Howell with the intent to murder to him. He had not been required to plead to the offensc. The prosecutor had objected to his bail based on the seriousness and prevalence of the offence and he further said that Woolford might be a flight risk.
According to reports, Howell and four other young men were in a house on D’Andrade Street and they were taking turns in “feeling the gun”. It was during this gun play that the gun went off and Howell was shot in his neck. The bullet exited on the other side.
It is still unclear who the gun belonged to.
Reports further indicated that the young men had disappeared after Howell was dropped off at the hospital.
A post-mortem examination will be conducted on Wednesday.
