By Aviso Paul
A youth died on Friday afternoon after a reported shootout with a rank of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) who was engaged in a sting operation that went awry.
The dead man was identified as 23-year-old Quindon Bacchus, of Golden Grove, East Coast Demerara, who was shot dead at the Hastlington New Scheme, also on the East Coast.
The police reported that minutes earlier Bacchus, said to be a gold miner, had been in the process of selling a gun to the plain clothes lawman.
When Stabroek News visited the area, persons were tightlipped about what occurred, while Bacchus’ family was still trying to understand how he ended up dead.
The GPF in a statement that at about 14:30 hrs ranks went to the Hastlington New Scheme to conduct an operation based on intelligence they received earlier in the day.
A 22-year-old construction worker had provided information and later led the ranks to Bacchus, who was in possession of a firearm at the time and had intended to sell it to one of the ranks who was undercover.
The statement said the plain clothes rank, who was armed, made arrangements to purchase the firearm from Bacchus, who left and then returned with the gun.
However, during the handing over of the gun, the police said an alarm was raised and Bacchus suddenly ran in a southern direction while also discharging a round in the rank’s direction. The rank then took out his service pistol and returned fire.
The police said Bacchus then ran further south and jumped into a yard. The police rank also gave chase. Bacchus reportedly discharged more shots at the rank, who immediately took cover and returned fire, hitting Bacchus about his body.
Bacchus fell to the ground along with the firearm, which was later identified as a .380 pistol with a magazine that contained one round. The police also said that the one .380 spent shell and two 9mm spent shells were recovered at the scene.
The police added that the now deceased man was picked up in a conscious state and was escorted to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he later succumbed while receiving treatment.
According to the GPF statement, the recovered firearm and ammunition were taken to the Cove and John Police Station, where it was photographed and dusted for prints.
It was revealed that the construction worker was arrested and also taken to the Cove and John Police Station, where he was interviewed about what transpired.
He was then placed into custody.
‘We don’t know’
Stabroek News yesterday visited the family of the deceased and the man’s grandfather, Victor Sandy, was still trying to understand how his grandson met his demise.
“What I understand is that some boy pick him up on a motorbike and they ended up in the scheme but what happened in the scheme we don’t know. That’s all the news we get—that he was shot and killed over there,” Sandy related.
Sandy disclosed that earlier in the day Bacchus had asked him for money to send for his three-year-old son, who lives in Barbados. Sandy, however, promised to give him the money at a later date since he was not in possession of the amount requested at the time.
“I was in the room watching TV and this morning he said ‘Grandfather I gatto get some money to send for my son to come home,’ because the guy [Bacchus’s son] was in Barbados. So I said ‘Boy, I ain’t get no money now….’ He then told me he discuss it with his mother and his mother promised to come this afternoon.”
The grandfather further said that Bacchus’ son and the child’s mother actually ended up surprising him yesterday as they flew into the country for a relative’s birthday.
“…His son and his child mother plan to surprise him because his grandmother birthday is tomorrow…about two hours after I was on the bed lying down and I heard a rap and the door opened and he and a lil boy come in and he seh ‘Grandfather look, I bring yuh great grand to see you.’ We talk and then he [Bacchus] left.”
Sandy went on to say that within 20 minutes he was informed by a neighbour that his grandson was shot and killed.
“’bout 20 minutes after a neighbour come running, shouting to me and seh ‘uncle Vic, Quindon just geh shoot up in the Housing Scheme…’ So after that I don’t know what happen, I just lock up the house and me and my wife head to the station.”
A family member, who wished not to be named, told this newspaper that she received a phone call and was informed that Bacchus was shot approximately six times.
