A 26-year-old man was shot and killed and his friend was beaten by residents in Pearl, East Bank Demerara, after the proprietor of a shop noticed the two men acting suspiciously around his business.
According to a police statement, they are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of Seon Clarke, aka Cash Money, of Old Road, Land of Canaan. The statement said that around 2pm on Saturday afternoon, Clarke and his friend visited a grocery store in Sarah Johanna, East Bank Demerara. They were allegedly behaving in a suspicious manner and the owner of the business ran out to the road and raised an alarm with a police officer who was passing at the time. The police subsequently responded but the men had escaped into the surrounding bushes.
During the search two loud explosions were heard but the two men remained elusive and were not found until later that night, around 11.30, on the Pearl Public Road, by members of the community. The statement said that Clarke was shot by a resident and his accomplice beaten before they were handed over to the police.
The two were rushed to the Diamond Public Hospital where Clarke was pronounced dead on arrival and his friend was treated for minor injuries and sent away. He was subsequently taken into police custody and is assisting with the investigation.
“He was here about three or four weeks ago and after that is just on the car park about two weeks ago was the last time I see he,” Clarke’s father, Godfrey, told Stabroek News yesterday.
While the police stated that Clarke lived in Old Road, Land of Canaan, his father said that this was not true since his son only visited there and had disappeared about a month ago.
While he was unaware of where he was currently staying, Godfrey said that Clarke was recently released from jail in relation to a simple larceny charge. “He only come out the other day, about a month ago when he de return. He was in some problems with he relatives over a phone and the matter get dismiss,” the man said.
He explained that after his son returned he started to visit him, and would assist him with food and other necessities. One day Godfrey decided to have a serious conversation with him about his ambitions, and after that he disappeared.
“I see he and I ask he what he doing with he life, and what he plan on doing. I seh remember now you trying to get a new chance and your life back, and you can’t deh around the place and not doing anything. Since that talk he disappear and is not until about two weeks ago I see he on the park, but we didn’t talk much,” the man related.
Godfrey told Stabroek News that he was unaware that his son was involved in the incident on Saturday night and only became aware when media personnel visited his home. “I only hear about some robbery last night [Saturday] in Pearl but I didn’t know [he] was involved in it. I try talking to him, cause life is funny and sometimes things can change and you have to try your best to encourage people,” the man said.
While residents were hesitant to speak about the shooting, one of them told Stabroek News that the two men were known around the area for being involved in criminal activities. “Everybody around the area know them as thieves…” the man who wished to remain anonymous told Stabroek News.
The police have yet to determine who the shooter was and investigations are ongoing.
