A Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Lance Corporal and his girlfriend, who was visiting from Barbados were on Wednesday night gunned down in Sophia.
Dead are Daniel Fraser, 26, of Lot 598 ‘A’ Field, Sophia and Shanicka Forde, 23.
The shooting took place around 11.30 pm at ‘B’ Field, Sophia.
Fraser was shot once in his chest while Forde sustained three gunshot wounds. They were both taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) where they were pronounced dead on arrival.
Sources confirmed that a suspect was arrested and is presently in police custody assisting with investigation.
The police yesterday said that Fraser and Forde were in a relationship for about two weeks. However, family members said they have been together for about a year.
It is believed that the shooting was as a result of Forde going against her ex-partner’s wish and moving on from the relationship.
Forde resided in Barbados but was here on vacation for the past three months. She was staying at a friend’s place in South Sophia.
According to the police, enquiries revealed that prior to the shooting, the couple were imbibing alcohol at a shop at ‘C’ Field Sophia. They then left for home on motorcycle, CK 9296.
“As they were heading west along Last Street ‘B’ Field, Sophia, they were confronted by an unknown male who approached them from a northern direction on a bicycle and discharged six rounds at Fraser and Forde causing them to fall on the ground,” the police said.
The suspect then rode away in a western direction and made good his escape.
Speaking to Stabroek News yesterday, Fraser’s mother, Michelle Fraser said Forde would travel to Guyana from time to time and whenever she is not here, she and Fraser would communicate online.
She said Forde came into the country to get her birth certificate since she had plans to join the army in Barbados. She was expected to return to Barbados by this weekend.
According to Michelle, she is not aware of her son having any issues with anyone that might have led to the killings.
She said following the shooting, she learnt that the incident might have stemmed from Forde being in a relationship with Fraser.
Michelle explained that Forde has one child from a previous relationship. “I don’t know the father of the child but I know she got a child,” she said.
She said Fraser was on vacation leave and was liming with some friends in the area on Wednesday.
Michelle further explained that based on what she learnt, Forde arrived at the location. “…Like she (Forde) come there and like she lil vex. Them boys seh he (Fraser) seh leh he drop she back and like when they come out, duh is when them boys seh they hear the gunshots,” she related.
Michelle said she was asleep when some men visited her house and informed her that Fraser had been shot. By time she arrived at the hospital Fraser was already dead.
One of Fraser’s cousins told this newspaper that she believes that Fraser didn’t even know that Forde’s former partner didn’t want her to end the relationship.
“He (Forde’s ex) did not want the relationship to end….Apparently, my cousin (Fraser) did not even know about that. Probably if he had known the father of the child had that in his head, he would have say `girl look we can’t have anything going because look your child father don’t want to leave’….But apparently he didn’t know,” the woman said.
