Gunmen who fired pellets injuring an Eccles family which operates a cambio in the city fled empty handed early yesterday morning.
Fire rang out in the Lombard Street area around 8 am when the men ambushed the family car in which cambio dealer Looknauth, his wife Rupee Persaud and son, Mohammed Persaud, were travelling.
The family had just left their East Bank Demerara home and were making their way to the Water Street cambio they operate when the incident happened. From all indications the men had trailed them from the East Bank.
Reports are that the gunmen used their car to block the road as Looknauth was approaching, but the cambio dealer upon realizing the danger decided to proceed. He did not get far because the gunmen numbering around three disembarked and opened fire on the vehicle using a shotgun or shotguns.
Looknauth ended up crashing into a lamp post where he came to a halt. The men then sprayed the vehicle with a barrage of pellets. They later fled the scene empty-handed leaving the family bloodied and injured in the car.
Sunday Stabroek was told that the men might have panicked when they saw the family seemingly lifeless in the car and fled instead of carrying out the robbery.
The police arrived on the scene shortly after and recovered a few spent shells. They rushed the family to the Georgetown Public Hospital where they were treated and sent away.
Looknauth suffered pellet injuries to the head, face and arms; his wife had injuries to her feet and the son was shot in his left jaw.
“They had to have been watching us for some time and following our movement,” Mohamed said at the hospital yesterday. Though he would not go into more detail with the media, he said the men had appeared organized.
Yesterday relatives who gathered at the hospital expressing shock over the incident said they had feared that such a day might come. Since the family has a business, one relative said, they often worried “about when and if such a day as this would come.” She said they are thankful that no life was taken during the ordeal.
Another relative made mention of the recent attack on America Street money-changer Orson Thompson who was shot and robbed by two bandits outside his Light Street, Alberttown home last Wednesday night.
