Four persons remained in police custody yesterday as investigators continued to probe the death of a 46-year-old mechanic, who it is claimed accidently shot himself on Wednesday evening at Goat Creek, Essequibo River.
The deceased is Joseph Mahadeo, called ‘Terry,’ 46, of Parika Backdam, East Bank Essequibo (EBE).
Mahadeo was said to be employed with a mining company owned by a Parika, EBE businessman.
The shooting reportedly occurred around 8 pm after Mahadeo and two others, including a driver and a painter, departed a camp on a tractor.
While they were several miles away, the tractor developed mechanical issues.
As a result, the driver reportedly sent Mahadeo back to the camp to uplift a few items to fix the tractor.
On arrival at the camp, Mahadeo contacted his General Manager, who is a licensed firearm holder. The General Manager reportedly provided Mahadeo with the keys to a safe to uplift the items. In the same safe, the General Manager kept his firearm.
Mahadeo reportedly collected the items and left the keys on a nearby table.
He then returned to the driver with the items, including the firearm, which he is said to have unknowingly taken.
The trio fixed the tractor and began their journey to the camp. The driver reportedly told the police that Mahadeo was sitting at the front of the tractor with the gun between his legs
The driver said that as they were about a mile from the camp, he heard a loud explosion and subsequently saw Mahadeo lying motionless on the trail with the firearm some distance behind the tractor.
As a result, the driver said he stopped the tractor, rushed to Mahadeo’s aid and noticed he was bleeding from a wound to his chest.
The police were immediately summoned.A search of Mahadeo’s possessions unearthed three live 12-gauge cartridges in his pocket.
He was later transported to the Leonora Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Regional Commander of Region 3 Senior Superintendent Linden Lord told Stabroek News that the police yesterday revisited the scene in the company of the persons now in custody. They include the driver and painter. They were being questioned by ranks of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters, Eve Leary. Lord explained that an autopsy yesterday showed that Mahadeo died as a result of gunshot injury to his chest. He said while it is suspected that the gunshot wound was self-inflicted, the police are continuing their investigation.
