By Joseph Allen
Ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) yesterday shot and killed a robbery suspect during a “confrontation” in Annandale, East Coast Demerara (ECD).
The dead man has been identified as 23-year-old, Joseph Fiffee, a resident of Buxton also on the ECD.
A GPF report stated that yesterday morning at approximately 8.45, Fiffee was shot dead at Annandale by Anti-Crime Patrol ranks from Regional Police Division #4.
At the time of his death, Fiffee, along with another, were suspects in seven robberies between October 21 and November 3, from Annandale to Non Pareil, ECD. It was alleged that in the course of the robberies, Fiffee had allegedly wounded most of his victims, one of whom is presently in hospital.
An anonymous tip hinted at the whereabouts of Fiffee yesterday and the force acting on the information went to the location and observed him riding a bicycle in Cross Street, Annandale, with a cutlass wedged between the bars of the cycle.
Upon seeing the police patrol van, the police said that Fiffee rode faster in an effort to elude the lawmen while they remained in hot pursuit.
The report stated that suddenly, during the chase, the pursuing ranks heard several shots being fired and subsequently returned fire after taking cover.
Fiffee, by this time, had dropped his bicycle and jumped a fence into a yard, where he collapsed. He was picked up, and upon examination what appeared to be a bullet wound was seen in the region of his lower back.
The suspect was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he died shortly after at 9.44 am while undergoing medical treatment.
According to the police, two .25 spent shells, along with a .25 pistol (without serial number) and a magazine containing three rounds, were found in a drain next to the fence where Fiffe had jumped.
In CCTV footage of the incident, Fiffe could be seen jumping over a fence while being chased by a patrol van. Several shots were also heard but with no clear indication as to who fired the shots.
Fiffee, however, could be heard crying out in pain while a rank shouted at him several times to “Don’t (expletive) move.”
The man’s sister, Keisha Edwards, speaking on behalf of the family, opined that the force could have done better in apprehending her brother and not kill him since she believes he was fatally shot while he was unarmed.
“They could have done better, come on. It’s an unarmed man, they could have done better. Why would you want to kill someone, did you give him life? You shot him two times, you didn’t say two in his foot but one in the foot and one in the back. That means you give him life”, she said.
“They said he did a numerous amount of robbery. You know where Joseph lives, you could have come and see if Joseph was at home. You saw him on the road unarmed, it’s so much of police ranks in the vehicle, why did one of them not come off and say we came for you. You see he ran, you see he jumped the fence. From the time he jump the fence… where else would he go? It’s so much of y’all. Where else will he go? That means you had an aim and that aim was to kill him”, she charged.
Edwards also said she would not deny that her brother was part of a ‘certain life’ but killing him was uncalled for since he was never convicted of a crime and had one matter of wounding before the court.
When asked what the family may want going forward, the sister responded that while they may want justice, it’s the GPF they are talking about.
“We all know nothing will happen. It’s the Guyana Police Force we are talking about.”
