A Venezuelan woman was shot dead in the wee hours of yesterday morning after rushing to the aid of her Guyanese boyfriend when he came under fire from a gang of men at Rock Landing Kaikan, Wenamu River, in Region Seven.
The dead woman has been identified as 28-year-old Valentina Marelis Pacheco, while her injured boyfriend, a Guyanese, has been identified as Mark Anthony Gonsalves, 28, a miner, of Mabaruma, North West District, Region One. He was shot to his foot.
Police last night said the shooting occurred at around 12.35 am. Pacheco was shot in the face and the bullet exited the back of her head.
Information provided to this newspaper stated that Gonsalves was at Frederick Stafford’s shop, which is located on the Wenamu River Front, on the Guyana shore opposite the Venezuelan border. While he was at the shop, he reportedly observed a light shining from across the river from the Venezuelan border.
As a result, he paddled to the person shining the light to enquire what the person wanted from the shop or whether he wanted to travel across to Guyana. The gesture is a customary one for persons living across the border.
Police said when Gonsalves arrived on the Venezuelan shore, he was met by a Venezuelan man, who told him that he wanted high wine and a pack of cigarettes.
After receiving the order, Gonsalves related to the police that he saw about five other men armed with rifles emerge from the nearby bushes and they started shooting in his direction.
He immediately plunged overboard and swam over to Guyana border. It was while he was standing on Guyana border that he realised that he was shot to his right foot.
The men continued shooting from over on the Venezuelan shore and Pacheco, who had gone to aid him, was struck by a bullet.
Gonsalves, police said, is receiving medical attention at the Kaikan Health Centre. His condition is regarded as stable.
