A week-old dispute over a pair of scissors has resulted in the death of a Queenstown, Essequibo Coast man and left another person injured.
Twenty-two-year-old Keyion Devain McLennon died after he was shot thrice on Saturday night by a known character while standing inside the bus shed at the head of the village. The injured person has not been identified and is currently at the Suddie Public Hospital receiving medical attention.
Donald McLennon, the father of the deceased, yesterday told Stabroek News that minutes after his son went out on the road he received a call informing him that he had been shot. He related that the shooting occurred at around 7.30pm.
“My son had a birthday home here last week Sunday and he had borrowed the boy [the suspect] scissors. Last week Monday, he [suspect] come here and ask for Keyion but I tell he [suspect] that my son is not at home and he will have to come back,” the father said.
He added that during the afternoon, the suspect returned and asked his son for the pair of scissors. According to the father, his son replied that he did not have the scissors and the response resulted in a confrontation. “I sit down drinking something and all I see is two man on the ground so I went out to part them and that was it until yesterday (Saturday) when we hear my son get killed by this same boy. The people at the bus shed said he walk up to my son and tell he ‘he story don’t done like that’ and he shoot my son,” the grieving father explained. The elder McLennon explained that the suspect is known to the family and up to Saturday afternoon, prior to the shooting, he passed by their shop and greeted him.
“This was a senseless killing and we need justice,” the father said.
He added that there has been a spate of robberies on the Essequibo Coast.
“This is not the Essequibo Coast we grow up in… there are too much robberies now. There is a particular gang in Red Village causing all this trouble. The police cannot go in there but something needs to be done. Everyone that commit a crime gets away into that area because they know police cannot come in,” the elder McLennon shared before calling for an urgent intervention by the authorities to address the issue. Police investigations are continuing and no arrest has been made since.
