An overseas-based Guyanese family is now mourning after their 21-year-old relative died during the wee hours of yesterday after he was stabbed at Crabwood Creek, Corentyne.
The family, including the deceased, ventured to Guyana to participate in his brother’s wedding and were expected to leave next Monday.
Yesterday, around 3 am, Lakhan Chaterpaul, also known as `Rickash’, 21, of Ohio, US, sustained a single stab injury in his lower abdomen and collapsed a short distance away from his grandfather’s house where he was vacationing in Grant 1802 Crabwood Creek.
He was rushed to the Skeldon Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Stabroek News visited the location yesterday. Chaterpaul’s mother requested privacy.
However, the young man’s grandfather, Zamen Silvanish also known as “Haniff”, explain-ed, that his daughter and her family along with several other relatives ventured to Guyana for his grandson’s wedding which was held Sunday last at his residence.
According to the man, on Tuesday the family was playing music and having a small get-together when the three suspects who live in the area entered the yard.
According to the grandfather, after some time he noticed the suspects “rolling dope” and immediately asked them to leave. “Me tell them man you can’t roll the dope in me yard, this a me place that you can come out a me yard”, the grandfather noted.
He said that the suspects, who according to him are brothers, began chucking him up “and them give me one hunch and we put them out and lock the gate and me na say nothing. We go in the yard and them start cuss up and so how them go kill abbay and thing, and me na worry with them me just go in and lock up.”
However, around five minutes after, the suspects began damaging several of the relatives’ vehicles which were parked in the street. At the location Stabroek News noticed about four vehicles which had damage to mirrors and other parts yesterday.
It was after the suspects began hitting the vehicles that some of the male relatives proceeded to the street and it was then that Chaterpaul was dealt a stab.
According to relatives, Chaterpaul did not engage the men at any point but only proceeded to the street after he heard the men were hitting the vehicles, and it was then that he was attacked.
After he collapsed on the street, relatives immediately rushed to his assistance while the three suspects who reside several houses away fled.
Police have since arrested two of the suspects but according to relatives the person who inflicted the stab is still at large.
The grandfather said yesterday that relatives assisted with the arrest of one of the suspects, “He been a walk in the street this morning and them boys run and hold he and give police.”
Chaterpaul was described as a loving, kind, helpful individual who had a bright future ahead of him. His grandfather said, that he spoke to the lad while he was overseas almost every day via video chat.
According to the grandfather, the young man was extremely excited to come to Guyana to celebrate his brother’s wedding and meet his relatives.
“He been so excited, everyday me a talk with that boy, he was a quiet boy, a very quiet boy.”
