A pastor was shot to his head with pellets after he courageously confronted a masked bandit who was holding his son at gunpoint at their Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo home on Sunday evening.
Ram Singh was rushed to the Leonora Cottage Hospital while bleeding from the wound.
He recalled that he was in the kitchen around 9:30 pm when he heard his son, Timothy, 25, who was closing the gate, saying “oh mi God” and he went to see what had happened.
The bandit, who was about six feet tall and dressed in black, grabbed Timothy by his shirt and brought him into the house. His two accomplices were waiting outside.
Singh, thinking it was a “toy gun,” immediately asked him what he planned to do with the gun.
The bandit responded that he would shoot him and Singh said, “Well then shoot me and I was walking up to him.”
Without wasting time, the gunman fired the shot which grazed a mosquito net, hit Singh to his head, shattered a photo frame and left some holes on the wall.
The bandit then ran out of the house but Timothy grabbed an empty bag he was reportedly using to carry the gun. It was handed over to the police.
The bandits escaped on foot at the back of the village.
Singh, determined not to give up, attempted to run after them when he felt the blood running down his forehead. It was then that he realized he was shot.
His wife, Sharanie ‘Datsie’ Singh said she was peeling potatoes and she panicked and ran through the back door as all of this was happening.
Timothy’s girlfriend who was visiting with her mother also screamed and ran to the back of the house.
Singh, who lives next to the church, said he identified two persons to the police but no arrest was made. He, as well as the church, have been robbed five times within six months.
Timothy had confronted a bandit in his bedroom a few months ago. He escaped on a bicycle and Singh gave chase in their car and the bandit was caught and handed over to the police. He was also placed before the court.
Singh gave the man a break after the father begged him.
And in another incident, a 16-year-old boy stole $200,000 from Singh’s home.
He had rescued the boy after his mother threw him out for misbehaving.
The boy was placed before the court but was “freed by the magistrate.” One week later he returned to the house and was caught stealing $3,000. He is now under the care of the Child Care officers who have put him to do a course.
