A man, suspected to be part of a crew that was trailing travellers from the airport into the city, was shot on Wednesday night after they were confronted by police.
Shawn Thom, 37, of National Avenue, South Ruimveldt Park, is now a patient under guard at the Georgetown Public Hospital. Police yesterday said they are still searching for his suspected accomplices, who are believed to have also been shot during the confrontation.
According to a police statement, at around 11pm police ranks confronted the occupants of a vehicle along Barr Street, Kitty after a rank, who had picked up his relatives from the airport, reported his suspicion that he was being followed.
Police said after the police ranks confronted the occupants of the vehicle, there was a shootout and Thom was shot to his left foot. Police added that while Thom’s accomplices managed to escape, the vehicle was seized and an unlicensed .38 revolver with three live rounds and two spent shells were recovered.
This newspaper was also told that two cell phones were found in Thom’s possession and detectives are currently checking the numbers registered on them.
Stabroek News understands that it was while loading suitcases belonging to his relatives into his car, the police rank, who is stationed at CID Headquarters, Eve Leary, observed a strange man lurking nearby. This newspaper understands that the policeman had arrived at the airport late.
The policeman and his relatives then proceeded on their journey to a Barr Street address.
Given his profession and aware of the modus operandi of bandits targeting travellers, the policeman kept a constant check on his rearview mirror. About half way through the journey, this newspaper was told the policeman noticed a yellow vehicle behind him and it appeared to be trailing him. Sometime thereafter, he noticed when the vehicle stopped, another pulled up alongside and the occupants handed over something to those in the yellow vehicle. Police detectives now believe that weapons were being handed over for a planned attack.
The rank, sensing that some mischief was afoot, contacted a colleague and arrangements were made for them to meet up at the Kitty destination, where the shootout subsequently occurred.
Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum told Stabroek News yesterday that police are currently looking for two suspects, both of whom it is believed sustained gunshot wounds.
He said that one of the suspects escaped through an alleyway and detectives found droplets of blood in that area.
He said that Thom was discovered in an empty lot with an unlicensed gun in his possession and was bleeding from the gunshot wound to his foot. Thom is currently on bail for break and enter and larceny charges and will be put on an identification parade to determine whether he might have been involved in airport robberies that have been carried out in the past months.
A report on a previous robbery indicated that the gunmen were travelling in a yellow car and Blanhum confirmed that the men that were involved in Wednesday’s shootout were travelling in a yellow Toyota IST.
