A suspected bandit was fatally shot by a businessman during an attempted robbery along the McDoom Public Road yesterday afternoon, while his alleged accomplice, who managed to escape after ditching their motorbike, is now wanted by police.
The dead man has been identified as Gary Koster, 38, a resident of Norton Street, Bagotstown, East Bank Demerara (EBD).
A Guyana Police Force statement on the fatal shooting said Koster was one of two men on a motorcycle who attacked businessman Darmindra Dean, of Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara and the owner of D&D Supermarket and Bar at Annai, Region Nine.
Police said when the attack occurred around 2.40pm, Dean was a passenger of a truck, GTT 5907, which was driven by Safraz Ali.
It was when Ali stopped at the junction at Houston to allow vehicles to come out of Rome Access Road that one of the bandits allegedly jumped off of the motorbike and assaulted Dead.
The statement said the pillion rider dismounted from the cycle, drew a handgun and dealt Dean a lash to his face and fired in his direction.
Dean, however, then pulled out his licensed firearm and discharged several rounds in the suspects’ direction. As a result, Koster was hit and fell off the motorbike on the roadway, while the other suspect ran south along the McDoom Public Road and escaped. It is unclear if the man who escaped was injured.
Commander of ‘A’ Division Clifton Hicken last night told Stabroek News that they are in pursuit of the bandit who managed to escape.
Police said that three .32 and one 9mm-calibre spent shells were recovered from the scene.
Stabroek News was told that Koster was picked up by public-spirited citizen and taken to Diamond Diagnostic Centre, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
His body was examined and two gunshot wounds were seen on his left temple and behind his neck. The truck was examined and a bullet hole was seen on the left side of the windscreen, police said.
Meanwhile, the motorbike, which carried the registration numbers of CH 216 on the front and CH 2167 on the rear, remained on the public road until the police removed it.
As police cordoned off the roadway to conduct their investigation, traffic was stalled.
The crime scene tape was eventually removed and traffic continued to flow as per normal.
