An elderly man and his son-in-law were gunned down during a home invasion in Block 22, Wismar, Linden yesterday morning and a third man was critically injured. Two persons are currently in custody and the police are pursuing leads.
The police said that they are investigating the murder of Johnson Bowen, an 87-year-old from Block 22 and Emanuel Dos Santos, a 58-year-old miner of the said address, which occurred at about 4.20 am yesterday.
The attack was carried out by three masked males, two armed with handguns and one with a cutlass.
The police say that enquiries disclosed that Bowen and his son-in-law Dos Santos both resided in a one-story wooden and concrete house in an unfenced yard.
Vashti Bowen, 48, who lost her father and husband in the attack was asleep in the northeastern bedroom with Dos Santos while her father, Bowen was sleeping in the southwestern bedroom with her 20-year-old son.
Vashtie Bowen told the police that she was awoken by a noise in her living room. She exited the bedroom and entered the living room where she observed the three suspects, two armed with handguns and one with a cutlass pulling her father from his bedroom. She told the suspects that her father did not hear well. At the said time, she saw her nephew, a gold miner who lives next door, push the door open, enter the house, and hold on to one of the suspects from behind, choking him. Her husband and son then began lashing the other suspect with a mop stick, and the two suspects began discharging their firearms indiscriminately.
Another occupant of the house then armed himself with a cutlass and chopped one of the suspects. The suspect then ran out of the house through the northern door. Dos Santos followed the suspects who shot at him and he fell in front of the door mortally wounded. The suspects then fled on foot.
Bowen was observed lying on the floor in the house with gunshot wounds. Denzil Roberts, the nephew sustained shots in the face, the left side of his chest and his lower back.
The crime scene rank examined the body of Bowen, and what appeared to be a laceration was observed to the back of his head, left armpit, and left upper hand. What appeared to be gunshot injuries were observed at the centre of his back, the upper right side of his back, the lower right side of his back, the left side of his chest and his upper left arm. Dos Santos’s body was observed lying motionless in an unfinished concrete structure attached to the back of the house on his stomach.
His body was examined and what appeared to be a laceration was observed on his head. Suspected gunshot injuries were observed to the back of his neck, lower back and left thigh. There were also two wounds on his left knee.
The scene was processed and photographed and four .32 spent shells, seven 9 mm spent shells, a warhead, and three fragments were discovered in and around the house. The two men were escorted to the Linden Hospital Complex where they were pronounced dead on arrival by a doctor on duty.
It remains unclear if any items were taken from the house.
Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn visited the family of the murdered persons and expressed revulsion at what had happened.
In a video posted on the ministry’s Facebook page, he said “I want to say how disgusted we are as I am sure that the community is in respect of this attack on this family. It is obvious too that if you look around and visit the house and speak to the persons living here that they represent the most vulnerable in our society…of our people. It is indeed shocking that for what was seemingly little gain guns were used…and then they were basically executed…this is heinous, disgraceful and the police are required to solve this one”.
He called on the community to assist with the investigation.
“…I want to call on the community at Block 22 and also to the people of Linden as a whole to let us get information as to who these perpetrators are. We of course have challenges with crimes and the drug crimes and we have been getting guns off the streets but our sense is that people are aware … relatives and friends are aware when persons have guns and whether they may be up to criminal behaviour…and if we want to reduce this dramatically and bring control to the situation…we have to get actionable intelligence…people must let us know…neighbours, relatives, friends and the community must let us know when they see behaviour or action or things in possession of people which can pose a risk to the community. So I want to condemn (these murders) in the strongest possible terms and to call on all people to join up and let us solve this crime”.
He said that the police were working to gather evidence. There was a blood trail and a lot of bullet holes in the house.
Kurleigh Simon, Assistant Commissioner of Police and Commander for Region 10 in a separate video said “We are hoping that we can speedily resolve this situation and bring the perpetrators to justice”.
Senior Superintendent, Michael Kingston added “we will be doing all that we can to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice. There is some information that is forthcoming…”
