The Guyana Police Force today said Sewdat Hansraj, the Cotton Tree Village, West Coast Berbice youth who was fatally shot last night, had been attacking ranks with a cutlass.
In a statement, the police said while performing duty on the Cotton Tree Public Road, West Coast Berbice, ranks came under attack by protesters, which resulted in several of them being hospitalised and their attacker, Hansraj, 18, dead.
At least one witness has denied that Hansraj was wounding ranks but could not say whether he was unarmed at the time.
According to the police, the attack occurred around 7. 40 pm, shortly after a Gazetted Officer and ranks cleared the said road of protesters and debris, leaving a Sergeant with several ranks to maintain free passage along the corridor
“The ranks were then attacked by a group of men armed with cutlasses, wood, iron, etc. and were forced to discharge their weapons into the air to disperse the very hostile and aggressive crowd and after expending their ammunition the ranks including Sergeant Ibaran, Corporal Williams, Constable Grant, and Constable Fraser were forced to seek refuge in nearby yards…,” it said.
During the process, police added, it was alleged that one of the protesters who was later identified as Hansraj, chopped Sgt Ibaran and Constable Fraser and as he was attempting to deal the latter another chop, he was shot once by one of two ranks who arrived at the scene and witnessed their colleagues being attacked and wounded.
Police added that Hansraj and injured ranks, including one reportedly assaulted by protesters, were rushed to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital, where Hansraj was pronounced dead on arrival, whilst the ranks received medical attention and admitted; their conditions are considered stable.
On Thursday night, Jevaughn Stephen, the Director of Regional Health Services, who was present at the New Amsterdam hospital last evening, confirmed that Hansraj had died and that the relatives of the deceased arrived at the hospital allegedly armed with cutlasses and other weapons.
Persons, who were present at the hospital, said the relatives began to threaten the medical professionals, which led to the police being summoned. The relatives reportedly become aggravated after they noticed police from the protest were being treated at the New Amsterdam Public Hospital.
Police Commander Calvin Brutus last evening confirmed that they responded to a call at the New Amsterdam Public Hospital and three persons were arrested. He said that one is a licenced firearm holder, while another was found with a cutlass.
