A policeman in a fit of rage yesterday shot his lover twice in the yard at the back of her La Penitence home and then turned his service revolver on himself.
Dead are Trevor Cumberbatch, 31, who is attached to the East La Penitence Police Station and lives at 601 West Ruimveldt and his girlfriend, Selena Khan, 33, of Lot 18 Public Road, La Penitence.
Just before 11 am, Cumberbatch shot Khan in the head and chest before placing the revolver to this temple and pulling the trigger. He died on the spot while the woman succumbed on the way to the Georgetown Hospital. The incident occurred a stone’s throw away from the Ruimveldt Police Station.
Police said in a statement which was issued around 7:45 last night that their investigations have revealed that Cumberbatch, Police Constable 16773 and Khan shared an “intimate relationship”.
According to the statement the rank was detailed for duty, escorting prisoners from the Georgetown Prisons to the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.
At the time he was armed with a .38 revolver and six rounds of matching ammunition and after he had deposited the prisoners at court, he “escaped from the court area and went to the home of the deceased (Khan) where he shot her in her head and chest. He then shot himself in his right temple”.
The statement did not say what could have prompted Cumberbatch’s actions.
The tragedy has left many of the policeman’s colleagues and relatives and those who knew Khan in shock and wondering what could have sparked yesterday’s events.
Stabroek News was told that the woman had apparently expressed her desire to end the relationship recently and this did not go down well with the cop.
This newspaper understands that there were no prior warnings that Cumberbatch intended to kill the woman and then commit suicide although he had once attempted to take his own life some time back.
Selena Khan
For about one hour after the shooting, traffic was moving at snail’s pace and there were traffic jams on the La Penitence public road, all the side streets and several in Albouystown, inclusive of Hunter Street, as drivers attempted to get out of the area.
Many of the drivers had seemingly given up and parked their vehicles. Mini-buses with passengers headed to East Bank communities were trapped in the congestion.
At the La Penitence house, hundreds of curious persons gathered to get a glimpse of the bodies.
The policeman’s boots were on the front steps where he had taken them off before he entered the home.
The drain to the southern end of the yard was red with blood. Scores of the woman’s relatives and friends poured into the home to offer their support and condolences to her husband and three children.
This newspaper was told that the children were home at the time of the incident.
Persons in the area told this newspaper that at the time of the shooting, the policeman was in his uniform. Minutes after she was shot, Khan was taken outside the yard as she awaited an ambulance to take her to the hospital. When she left she was still alive but was pronounced dead when she arrived at the institution around 11:20 am.
A man living nearby told this newspaper that just before 11 am he heard one gunshot and about 10 – 15 seconds later heard two more, which came in quick succession. He said that when he heard the first shot he thought it was a robbery.
When he looked out, he said, he saw a blue and white police pick up parked in front of Khan’s home and later learned that there was a shooting.
Police from the Ruimveldt Police Station, were seen running to the scene he said adding that about 15 minutes later a police vehicle and an ambulance arrived.
Residents told this newspaper that the woman lived with her husband and three children – two girls and a boy. They said that the policeman was a frequent visitor at the woman’s home.
One man said that he last saw Khan just after midnight yesterday when he dropped her home from the Gospel Concert which was held at the National Stadium as part of the Carifesta celebrations.
Stabroek News was told that the woman was a very friendly person and loved to gaff a lot.
Khan had been living at her present address for about eight years.
Meanwhile, Cumberbatch’s relatives were still in tears when this newspaper visited the home.
His sister Oslyn Cush said that she received a telephone call informing her that he had died but she does not know anything about what had transpired prior to the shooting.
According to Cush, Khan was her brother’s girlfriend.
Asked if her brother was ever involved in a domestic incident, the woman, with tears in her eyes replied in the affirmative, stating that it had involved his former wife, about three years ago. She said that he was divorced and was the father of three children, two boys and a girl.
The policeman also leaves to mourn six siblings and his parents Dawn Mc Donald and Robin Moses.
It was sad to hear of the lost of Khan family member. Crimes like these are hard to prevent. This is something that happens daily in America. And what is funny there is no way to put a stop to crimes like these. We call them crime of passion.
So I would like to end off by sending my Condolence to the Khan family and also to the East La Penitence Police Station for loosing one of their fellow mates.
Yes they can be prevented. She had no right accommodating a man while she is still married, and living with her three children.
That is not a crime of passion–you are probably talking about ignorance.
Women must not allow these poor behaviors. She should have thought about her children.
I don’t care about no one’s passion, everyone have passion.
BUT PEOPLE DON’T ALLOW THEMSELVES TO BE LURE INTO TRAGIC SITUATIONS.
Very shameful that this beautiful woman with a husband and 3 kids got involved with this policeman..why did the husband accept this situation? Is this what morality has descended to in Guyana…Shame!! Lets hope the kids involved recover from this shock!!
Oh, at least someone with a little decency is on this board afterall. The same thing I keep asking myself, why did she?
And why did the husband accepted such behavior?
Who was thinking about those three beautiful children?
Thank you for your most truthful comment.
This is a tragedy.
However, this woman should have thought twice to have a lover while she is living with her husband and three children.
These things spark deadly emotions. I know a woman who is practicing the very same thing, and think it is well.
A man would only take this much before he reacts. You cannot be between two men, especially a husband and a sweet man.
I GIVE THE FAMILY MY DEEPEST CONDOLENCE.
Women must stop this disgraceful behavior, and husbands should not condone to it.
Moreover, when children are involved, parents must put their children before their own interest, seen that they don’t care about each other.
Now those three children have to live without a mother. It is more sad that children had to witness or be around the home at the time of their mother’s dead.
This is one of the reasons I am strictly for faithfulness within marriages.
Chocolate,
Policemen in Guyana and most Caribbean States are known to use their influence to force women into relationships with them. They are known to lock men up and when their wives go to the police stations to secure their release, they are told to meet them at various shops or wait locations nearby. Can you remember during Burnham’s era there was a Supreme Court Judge who had a bed in his chambers, and some women’s appointments to see him were fixed after 5 in the evening after everybody had gone home?
Lion
Mr. Moderator, what happen? I see like you guys have blacklisted my name and an automatic deletion of whatever I said since yesterday when I wrote what I think happened to Fineman’s money?
I said nothing different to what Chocolate CCm said and you axed me.
What a shame on you.
well he was my friend we’ll miss u man
hope u will ur other friends to behave themselves male and female
This is how a lot of men operate. They can’t live with the fact that they are rejected.
“Mee cyaan get am, nobaady mus get am. An som maan, wen dem ketch somting, dem dus hole-aan lakka leech”.
I am extremely sorry for this girl
Lion
You are really into this sound like you were in this situation
It’s so sad to know what Love —and or— Jealousy can do, but we all remember the famous verse by William Sheakspere.
Love is the smoke, made from the fumes of sigh,
Been purged a fire spark in lovers eyes,
Been vexed a sea nourished with lover tears, whats it else, A MADNESS MOST DISCREET, ……..A CHOKING GALL……. or a ——PRESERVING SWEET——
May Their Souls REST IN PEACE.
Mr. Comberbatch is a typee guy (jelous)
THANK YOU FOR SAYING IT MR, WEST BANK.
However, some jealousy in mates are not bad. However, he is not her husband.
He should have bounce himself off and leave her in one peace.
He is sink in both his pants and head.
No brother of mine can do such nonsense, I will tell him off, and whatever happen, its all on him.
I careless. WHEN YOU CANNOT HEAR YOU SHALL FEEL!!
my condolence to the khan family, it is really not good for the
children, i do not know what is happening to some of the
guyanese women.
in the good book that call the bible, moses law in the ten commandments, though shall not commit adultery.
i am very sorry for his children too. my condolence to them too
and his family
Thank you for pointing out that COMMANDMENT.
Many women today careless about it. I am speaking out, because of those three children.
These people don’t know what marriage is, and how sacred it ought to be.
According to the statement, “the constable escaped from the area, and went to the home of the deceased” . May I suggest the word “abandoned “. He abandoned his post as being more appropriate, since escape is regularly used to describe someone fleeing from lawful custody or justice.
Sad case.Especially since the Police should Protect Life And Property.My sympathy for the children and Family of both.