Police are investigating the suspected armed robbery of a money changer/vendor on Friday at around 12.26 hours outside J’s Outlet located at the corner of Avenue of the Republic and America Street, Georgetown, by two identifiable men, both clad in blue jumpsuits and, one of whom was armed with a gun.
One of the suspects who was injured in the robbery is under police guard at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH).
According to a police, the 51-year-old clothes vendor/money changer said he was standing at the corner of Avenue of the Republic and America Street in the vicinity of J’s Outlet, plying his daily trade when he observed two men on a red and black XR motorcycle approach from a southern direction and stop in front of him. The rider then shouted, “Shoot him and kill him!” which prompted the money changer to run into J’s Outlet and raise an alarm. The pillion rider then dismounted and ran after him into the store, pointing a gun at him. A security guard who was on duty at the store saw what was happening and drew his weapon, however, he was relieved of it by the gunman.
Meanwhile, a manager in the store observed the suspect holding the security guard at gunpoint. The manager, who was armed with a licensed firearm, discharged several rounds in the direction of the gunman, one of which struck him in the lower abdomen.
The suspect then dropped the firearm that he was armed with on the floor of the store and ran out with the firearm that he took from the security guard. He rejoined his accomplice, who was waiting on the motorcycle on Avenue of the Republic, and they rode off, making good their escape.
Police attended the scene and retrieved four 9mm rounds, and four 9mm spent shells, along with a silver and black .32 Taurus pistol with two .32 rounds of ammunition.
Then about 13.20 hours on Friday, acting on information received, police visited the Emergency Unit at the GPH where one of the suspects, Elijah Martin, called ‘Swine’, a 23-year-old unemployed resident of ‘C’ Field Sophia, Georgetown, was observed lying on a bed in the critical bay area with a wound to his lower abdomen. He was questioned as to how he received his injury, but remained silent. Martin is presently under police guard at the GPH.
The firearm, ammunition and spent shells found at the scene were taken to the police ballistics department for analysis, while CCTV cameras in the area are being reviewed for possible footage.
