A twenty-four-year-old robbery suspect who escaped from the police on Monday during a shooting incident was yesterday morning captured by police at the Woodlands Hospital where he had gone to seek medical attention for a gunshot wound he had sustained during the incident.
The suspect has been identified as William DeAbreu who according to a police release was wanted in connection with a number of robberies committed between Mahaica and Vigilance on the East Coast of Demerara.
Acting on information received, at about 1am yesterday, police visited Woodlands Hospital where they spotted DeAbreu in the company of two individuals. The suspect had already received treatment for a gunshot wound to his left leg. Police commander of regional division 4 ‘C’, Senior Superintendent Mahendra Siwnarine said that the two persons with DeAbreu had taken the suspect for medical attention. The two along with DeAbreu were apprehended.
According to a police report, ranks were on a mobile patrol when they received information on the whereabouts of DeAbreu who was at the time driving a car. Ranks upon identifying the car which was proceeding along Church Road, Bachelor’s Adventure, East Coast Demerara, signalled for the driver of the vehicle to stop but DeAbreu instead attempted to evade police resulting in the car crashing into the police vehicle. The suspect then opened the driver’s side door and fired his gun in the direction of the police which prompted them to return fire.
DeAbreu then exited the car and discharged another round in the direction of the police while in a bid to escape, with the police again returning fire. The suspect ran into an unoccupied yard and then escaped into the dense vegetation at the back of the yard. A search of the premises was conducted and a red haversack with suspected blood stains was recovered, leading police to deduce that De Abreu had been shot.
The car the suspect was driving at the time of the shooting incident has since been lodged at the Cove and John Police Station. DeAbreu and the two persons who were arrested were taken to Brickdam Police Station and subsequently transferred to Cove and John Police Station. Investigations are ongoing.
