A brawl at the Route 42 Bus Park in the vicinity of the Stabroek Market has left a man hospitalised with stab wounds and another with a gunshot wound.
Police last night said that a rank responding to the brawl between the two men cautioned them to desist. However, one of them continued with his attack and the rank was forced to shoot him in his foot.
The injured men are Colin Cumberbatch, a 28 year-old bus conductor of North Ruimveldt Housing Scheme, and Sherwin Ariwa, 56, a vendor of ‘C’ Field, Sophia.
In a brief statement, Police Corporate Communications Director, Mark Ramotar said the duo was engaged in a scuffle over “changing money.”
Ariwa told police during investigations that he went to the bus which was conducted by Cumberbatch to change a $5000 bill. When he arrived at the bus, the conductor told him to move from near the bus and it was at this point an argument ensued.
The argument escalated into a scuffle and Ariwa allegedly armed himself with beer bottle and dealt a lash to Cumberbatch’s forehead. In retaliation, Cumberbatch dealt Ariwa two stabs, one to the left side of his abdomen and the other to his left hand.
In the midst of the attack, ranks who were stationed at the Stabroek Police Outpost arrived on the scene. The rank who eventually used his firearm observed that Cumberbatch was armed with scissors and Ariwa with a beer bottle.
Entangled in their scuffle, the rank cautioned the men to desist. Ariwa dropped the beer bottle while Cumberbatch ignored the rank and continued to make threats to kill Ariwa.
Still aggravated by the incident, Cumberbatch went to a nearby shop and picked up a cutlass and rushed towards Ariwa saying that he was going to kill him.
This forced the rank to fire a warning shot in the air in a bid to de-escalate the situation but that did not prevent Cumberbatch from advancing towards Ariwa. The rank discharged a second round which hit Cumberbatch in his left foot. After being shot, Cumberbatch stopped and sat down on the road.
The ambulance service at the Central Fire Station was summoned and both parties were escorted to the Georgetown Public Hospital in an ambulance to seek medical attention.
