Quindon Bacchus, who was controversially shot by a policeman on Friday at Haslington ,died of multiple gunshot wounds, an autopsy showed yesterday.
The findings will intensify calls for answers from the police and villagers yesterday staged protests at several points on the East Coast Demerara (ECD) including during a visit by acting Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken.
The Police Complaints Authority is now to investigate the matter. The shooter is said to be under close arrest.
The police say that the Post-Mortem Examination (PME) was performed at about 8 am yesterday by Doctor Nehaul Singh at the Memorial Gardens Mortuary.
The body of the Golden Grove man was identified to Dr. Singh by Bacchus’ cousin Sadeke Sandy and uncle Orin Sandy, after which the PME with dissection was performed.
Upon conclusion, the police say that Dr. Singh gave the cause of death as multiple gunshot wounds.
The body was handed over to the relatives for burial.
Hicken yesterday visited Bacchus’ family. The acting Police Commissioner subsequently told the media “There will be an impartial investigation. The Police Complaints Authority (PCA) will be investigating this matter and that’s the body that was constituted to deal with matters of this nature.”
The family requested that the clothing that Bacchus was last seen in be returned along with his cell phone. Hicken in response stated that when the PCA is finished with the investigation it will determine what will be returned and what will be kept.
Meanwhile, family, friends and villagers staged another protest yesterday after having done so a day earlier. The protest by dozens started at the Golden Grove Market Street and continued at Haslington New Scheme, ECD where the shooting took place. There was a large police presence. Residents in their protest demanded justice and that the shooter be placed under arrest.
Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton and a team also visited Bacchus’ family. Norton said after his visit “I think we should demand this matter be treated as a criminal matter.”
A family member in his statement to the team from the Opposition stated that that according to the post-mortem examination the man was shot seven times.
Protesters held up placards with statements such as “six bullets is murder”, “Justice for Quindon”, “Justice for all”. One of the protesters asked “what ever happen to shooting people in them foot ehh, you done shoot he two time, arrest he nah but no, you shoot the man six time for what?”.
On Saturday evening, Bacchus’ family demanded through attorney Darren Wade an impartial investigation and called for answers to a number of questions, including whether the Force’s Standard Operating Procedures were adhered to before, during and after the shooting. On Sunday, the law enforcers announced that the Police Complaints Authority would be investigating the matter.
The GPF in a statement on Friday said that at about 14:30 hrs that day ranks went to the Haslington 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 allegedly 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 Bacchus was picked up in a conscious state and was escorted to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he later succumbed while receiving treatment.
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.
