By Zoisa Fraser
Police last night said they were hunting for four men after gunmen with high-powered rifles shot wildly at a pick-up on the Ogle Airstrip Road and chased it in their vehicle while continuing their gunfire until it reached the East Coast Public Road.
During the midday ordeal which lasted around five minutes, the driver of the pick-up was shot in his buttocks and a female passenger injured her knee. They were both admitted to the Georgetown Hospital.
The police last night said they were looking for four men whose call names are `Trini’; `Yankee’; `Capone’ and `Sandman’. It urged members of the public who know the whereabouts of these men to contact the police.
It is believed that the gunmen were after what was being transported in the vehicle since according to information reaching this newspaper, the driver, Michael Jackson would usually transport goods coming out of the interior for a Brazilian company based in central Georgetown and other persons.
Up to press time last night, Jackson, 32, of Kitty and Vanessa Mendonca, 34, were patients of the city hospital. Jackson sustained a bullet wound to the buttocks and was taken to the operating theatre to have it removed while Mendonca is nursing cuts from broken glass to her knees and other parts of the body. Her knee had to be bandaged.
A statement from police yesterday stated that they are investigating the attempted robbery that occurred around 12.15 pm along the Ogle Access Road, ECD.
“Investigations so far revealed that Michael Jackson who is employed with an interior charter service had gone to the Ogle Aerodrome to collect cargo and other items and was on his way out from the aerodrome in motor jeep GJJ 7277”, said the release.
It added that a flight dispatcher of the same charter service, Margaret Maxius along with two female cleaners and a male porter who worked at the aerodrome, were being given a lift by Jackson.
According to the release, upon approaching the Access Road, Jackson observed a motor car parked across the road and a man standing outside with a firearm with two other men inside. Suspecting a robbery attempt, it added, he accelerated the vehicle and the gunmen opened fire.
The attackers, police said gave chase in the motor car, discharging rounds at the vehicle but as Jackson reached the East Coast public road, the men turned back and escaped along the Railway Embankment.
The release said that Jackson managed to drive his vehicle to near the Sparendaam Police Station before losing consciousness. The cleaner, Mendonca sustained cuts to her feet from glass fragments while the other persons were uninjured.
Jackson’s vehicle was left with a number of bullet holes and the rear windscreen was shattered. A 7.62 x 39 spent shell and a warhead at the scene was discovered at the scene of the shooting. Police are continuing their investigations.
The injured duo was taken to the Accident and Emergency Unit at 12.41 pm yesterday.
Stabroek News understands that as the black Tundra pick up that was transporting the five persons turned left onto the access road the occupants noticed a maroon-coloured car which appeared to be an AT 192 Carina model parked at the side of the road.
About four men armed with “long guns” were standing nearby and as the pick-up approached the men just opened fire before jumping into their vehicle and continuing to fire as the two vehicles sped north along the road. Residents in the area recalled hearing one set of gunfire and then another set several seconds later.
Recounting her frightening ordeal, Mendonca told this newspaper that when the men started firing Jackson continued driving and everyone else in the vehicle was screaming.
From all appearance the men might have been tracking Jackson’s movement and were waiting for him to leave the aerodrome. This newspaper understands that Jackson makes frequent trips from the aerodrome to the city.
“We tell he
keep driving”
Mendonca said that despite Jackson being shot they urged him to continue driving.
“He get shoot but we tell he keep driving… When we reach the public road, he loose the steering wheel and me ain’t know how we manage to turn. God was with us. We just kept praying”, the woman said, the fear still evident in her voice.
She added that while the gunmen were shooting the glass on the left side of the vehicle was shattered as a result of which she sustained cuts.
She recalled that they were screaming and the two vehicles sped along the road. When they raised their heads shortly after crossing over the railway line, the car with the gunmen was nowhere in sight.
Mendonca said they may have turned down the Railway Line while Jackson went straight across in the direction of the public road. They managed to reach the Sparendaam Police Station nearby, she added.
Asked what could have triggered the incident, she said that it appears that the motive was robbery as Jackson transported items brought by aircraft from interior locations.
Gunshots licking
all round
When Stabroek News visited the area yesterday afternoon, things were back to normal. Residents recalled hearing countless shots followed by two vehicles speeding along the access road.
One resident said that she heard the shots but by the time she got to her veranda she could not see anything as trees were blocking her line of sight. She however said that she understands that police were in the area conducting investigations.
Another resident said that she heard “many, many” gunshots and when she looked out she saw a burgundy coloured car trailing a pick up.
“Them two din speeding down the road… shots licking left, right and centre”, the resident said.
OH BOY, those names, can’t these guys use normal christian names?
…. it’s an ego,, we all have one to feed ! some of us have many !!!! the problem with having an ego,,,, is the kind u choose……
HERE IS THE DILEMMA FACING `Trini’; `Yankee’; `Capone’ and `Sandman’
Getting a job and working hard for small piece money is a joke so forget that.
Even if they are caught and put up for trial for this attempted robbery and assault, they could try bribe some official to turn a blind eye whilst they run away.
Even if they are caught and EVENTUALLY convicted, they will not receive death sentences even though they were clearly aiming at more than just the backside to the driver and 4 passengers they were trying to rob.
If they had succeeded in their robbery, then they would be in the ‘get rich league’ and would not need to work again for some considerable time depending on what that target cargo in the pick-up truck was.
Unless the Government uses the death penalty for serious crimes like these, the equation is a simple one for criminals.
Crime pays; NO MATTER WHAT.
Well said, Satish. I knew some guys back home who spent most of their time in jail because it was a joke to them. All they do at camp street is sit around and talk all day to the 100-150 other guys in the wing. Or, like one guy told me, “if I was still in jail, right now I wud be playin’ draffs (checkers) or cyards” I also remember when my friend’s uncle was locked up and we went to Durban Street (I believe this was the name of the street) and saw a guy with his hands hanging out the window. My friend asked for his uncle and the guy replied, “hole an, ah gwine an get him”. 2 minutes later, a big conversation ensued between uncle and nephew. LOL.
Instead of building a stupid stadium, wouldn’t it have been a better idea to build a maximum security prison instead? Individual cells, 23 hour a day lock down. You get the picture.
Basically, committing crimes with high powered weapons in Guyana is a win-win situation. Who’s gonna stop you? The Government? Nah, they too busy “making” money. The police? LOL. That’s another joke right there.
Now that the police know who they are,it should not be a problemio find them.If and when they are apprehended,i hope the authorities shackle them with ball and heavy chain.
the police can’t even catch a cold,how will they catch these men especially if they are fine or skinny.
Movie style shootings in a a smalll country When is this Nonsense will stop MR .President ? Every nite people sleep in Fear….Shame start hanging these ANIMALS that commit these inhuman act and lets once and for all get good stories out of Guyana!!! If u hang a few of these Beasts the rest will get calm as a Sea Without a Breeze!!!!!! One thing I can’t understand why can they capture them??? Or they don’t want to?
Well life goes on. NO one in authority cares about the masses
A Police Force that is poorly paid, poorly trained, poorly equippted, corrupt and unproffessional, which, both the PNC and PPP seeks to have party and political control over; will not be able to apprehend criminals or prevent crime.
Unless, there is comprehensive reform and the Police and Security services are made accountable to parliamentary oversight, the Police Force will continue to be a dysfunctional and lame – duck institution, with little or no public confidence in its ability to combat crimes.
The Police Force suffers from a history of political interferance and corruption, thus, its inability to fulfill its mission of providing security for the society.
willo i agree with you.i was member of that force and it is not a progressive envirnoment.
My question is why do businesses continue to operate with no care for safety? Imagine a mining company sending a mere pickup to move valuables from the airport. Why not involve the use of armed security vehicles? These businesses continue to be penny wise and pound foolish.
Is cheap they cheap!!!!!!!!!
A lot of these robberies could have being prevented,
or the perpetrators dealt with, if proper security measures
were put in place.
That tells u something….
more guns more shooting when this nonsense will stop
its very sad to know how corrupt and out of hands things get in guyana, all because of bad governance and a corrupt law enforcement agency.
OH GOD PLEASE HEAR MY CRY, PLEASE CLEAN THE GUYANA POLICE FORCE AND THE GUYANA GOVERNMENT THAT THE LAND GUYANA THAT U HAVE CREATE WOULD BE A BETTER PLACE.
THANK U FOR HEARING MY CRY OH GOOD GOD.
MAY GOD BE WITH US ALL.
By the time the person(s) who can give the order for the helicopters (which supposed to be equipped with infrared scopes and motion and heat detection equipment and all the bells and whistles) to make seeking and catching these lawbreakers and terrorists) get around to ordering them off the ground there will be NO likelyhood of catching anyone.
That money could well have been better spent on something/anything to benefit the guyanese people.
The police should’ve had the logistics to get these persons within minutes.
The knowledge that they can get away with stuff like this is an encouragement to persons to do these acts. Catching and PUNISHING them will act as a deterrent.