Police are investigating a shooting incident that left a 14-year-old student hospitalised after he was shot in the chest during an altercation at Durban Park, Georgetown, on Thursday evening of.
The victim, a Form 3 (Grade 9) student from ‘B’ Field Sophia, was admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) with a gunshot wound following the incident, which occurred at approximately 22:40 hrs. His condition is reported to be stable.
According to the teenager, he and a male friend, known only as ‘Ranks’, were walking along Charlotte Street when they encountered a Caucasian woman.
The pair allegedly approached the woman, and ‘Ranks’ is said to have pulled out a cutlass and stolen her handbag. They both fled the scene and ran south along Albert Street.
As they fled, a group of individuals began chasing them. The victim, attempting to escape, turned east onto South Road, while ‘Ranks’ reportedly ran in a different direction. The chase continued, and the teenager eventually found himself near the Durban Park area, where he was caught by a group of men.
The victim recounted that he was assaulted by several men who began to strike and kick him before he heard a loud explosion and felt a burning sensation on the left side of his chest. The men then fled the scene, and the teenager was left injured. Bystanders who witnessed the incident came to his aid and called the police.
The injured boy was transported to GPHC, where he was treated for his injuries. Police have launched a search for ‘Ranks’, the woman involved in the robbery, and the men responsible for the assault and shooting. However, no arrests have been made as of yet.
Investigations into the incident are ongoing, and law enforcement officials are continuing to question potential witnesses and process the crime scene.
Police are urging anyone with information about the incident or the individuals involved to come forward.
Editor’s Note: The Commissioner of Police has advised that the vendor was subsequently released from custody and the car was handed back to him. This came after questions were raised regarding the man’s arrest.
The post Student, 14, shot in chest after alleged robbery appeared first on News Room Guyana.
