A Professional Guard Service (PGS) guard was shot and two others grazed by bullets after the armoured vehicle they were in came under a hail of gunfire, shortly before midnight, at Demerara Bank’s Camp Street and South Road branch.
The group were about to deposit monies collected from a Sheriff Street fast food outlet, just moments before.
Michael De Clou, an armed guard sustained a single gunshot wound to his thigh and was up to press time this morning receiving medical attention at the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was rushed by colleagues. A female was also treated for a wound on her hand, from a graze by a bullet.
Owner of the security service, Sean Kirkpatrick, told Stabroek News that none of the injured was listed in serious condition.
One of the guards told this newspaper that they had just picked up a deposit from the Royal Castle fast food restaurant on Sheriff Street and were making their way to deposit the money at the Demerara Bank. The security officer said that they noticed a vehicle trailing them and suspected that it was robbers.
When they arrived at the Camp Street location, the trailing car slowed down behind them and suspecting that they were about to be robbed all the other guards in the vehicle armed themselves and proceeded to open the door with caution.
However, upon seeing one of the occupants of the car with a gun, they fired a warning shot but it was met with a volley of gunfire, seemingly from a high-powered weapon.
The guard had to rush off to give members of the Guyana Police Force statements and did not give the colour of the vehicle. He added that he could not tell how many occupants were in the car.
The security guard, who is employed on the opposite side, where Citizens’ Bank is erecting its head office said that he was carrying out an inspection on the premises when he heard the gunfire.
“I hear like two soft shots first, then bullets like fuss time. I ain’t even count, but it was high powered weapons…I know because I is a old police. I run and hide and when it done I come out and peep. Them Taxi boys who is deh round de corner pon South Road they run to help the guards them and they take the girl and the boy to the hospital in the same armoured van,” he said.
Up to press time police were on the scene conducting investigations.
The police this morning issued the following press release:
Three private security guards attached to the Professional Guard Services displayed brave and courageous action about 2345h last night, while on duty. In the process, they received gunshot injuries and are hospitalized in a stable condition.
The security guards, two males and a female had just collected various amounts of cash for night safe deposits at the Demerara Bank and while in the process of exiting the armoured vehicle they were in, criminal elements in a motor car drove up and opened fire on them.
The security guards adopted tactical positions and returned fire, after which the motor car sped away. This car has since been recovered in the D”urban Backlands area with evidence of exchange of gunfire. A quantity of spent shells and five live rounds of .38 ammunition were recovered at the scene at Demerara Bank, whilst spent shells were found in the motor car at Durban Backlands.
Investigations are continuing.
