A 26-year-old North Ruimveldt man, who reportedly teased a group of persons about their sexual orientation, was battered to death with an axe handle yesterday afternoon.
Athiel June, called Timothy, of 1976 Nutmeg Street, Festival City, North Ruimveldt collapsed on nearby Flying Fish Street. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) some time after 3 pm yesterday. Police have since taken a man into custody.
Reports are that June was riding along Flying Fish Street shortly after 2 pm where a group of persons was “liming”. June, an eyewitness said, shouted a comment about the sexual orientation of the group and continued riding. Shortly after, the man, a member of the group, rushed out of a nearby yard armed with an axe handle.
“This man come rushing out de yard with this axe handle in he hand,” an eyewitness reported late last evening, “and de next thing we see de man start lashing up Timothy bicycle and lashing he up so Timothy drop de bicycle and run in a yard.”
The incident, according to the eyewitness, occurred two houses away from the residence of June’s grandmother. After June rushed into the nearby yard, the eyewitness said, the man picked up two large bricks and hurled it at him.
“Lil after he get pelt with de two big brick he run out of de yard and he fall down on de street and is there de man go and start beating he with de axe handle…he de just lashing he in he head and around he heart area and so.”
Stabroek News was reliably informed that June’s attacker was also rushed to the medical institution yesterday afternoon for treatment. The man, hospital sources said, sustained a wound to his left arm. He was treated and taken into police custody where he remained up to press time.
Flying Fish Street residents said that June died shortly after he was battered. Efforts, they said, were made to revive him “but it was too late”.
“After de man done beat he and lef’ he there,” one resident recalled, “some people rush out and throw water pun he and so but he de done gone…he didn’t look like he de breathing.”
The deceased’s elderly grandmother, Joyce Frank, was unable to speak to Stabroek News yesterday. However, the man’s cousin said that while he had not witnessed the incident he was informed that “a friend” attempted to resuscitate June but was unsuccessful.
June, residents said, “had problems” with his family and had been living at the Nutmeg Street address for approximately one month. The man was employed as a carpenter/mason.
He leaves to mourn an 8-year-old daughter. (Sara Bharrat)
i bet this man get off just like blondie since when guyana have so meny batting for the otherside
falcon i agree, it’s not planned so it’s not capital.
IS THIS WHAT GUYANA HAS BECOME? THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATION IS THEIR CONCERN WHETHER OR NOT IT IS DIFFERENT TO OURS. IF IT IS TRUE THAT HE MADE AN UNWELCOME REMARK, DOES HE DESERVE TO BE KILLED FOR HAVING DONE SO? WHOEVER DID THIS, YOU OBVIOUSLY INTENDED TO KILL HIM SINCE YOU DID NOT STOP AFTER HITTING HIM ONE, TWO OR THREE TIMES. WHAT A BRUTAL INHUMANE WAY TO DIE. MAY GOD HAVE MERCY ON HIS YOUNG SOUL AND IF THERE IS ANY JUSTICE, HIS KILLER OR KILLERS WILL BE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE.
this is murder. what a harsh wat to die
I think that this is manslaughter, rather than murder. Murder has the components of malice and fore though. In other words, it has to be planned (conceived) and not happened spontaneously. Regardless of its definition or interpretation, its outcome is death. Can we no longer love our neighbours as ourselves? Oh! judgment and civility where have you all gone? Can you not both return to society as men are resorting to the law of the jungle and moral decay is becoming the new norm? I am totally devastated…
Peregrine- You better look up the difference between manslaugher & murder. Think you will conclude that this is murder. When you beat someone the in head with an axe handle, the resulting death is not an accident.
Carl, we will see the end results of this matter. The accused will be initially charged for murder and the prosecution will reduce it to manslaughter. We will all read as the trial unfolds. I do not have to revisit the interpretation of the word “murder”, since my legal background and my previous job in Guyana can speak volumes. An accident is a consequence of misadventure. If malice and fore thought cannot be proven beyond a reasonable doubt, then the accused must answer the charge of manslaughter.
My sympathies to deceased relatives. What a brutal and barbaric way to die.
Swat, this is another senseless killing in Guyana , when will it end ??? Bajans are not killing Guyanese but Guyanese are killing each other , at home and abroad . Take note Mr.President Jagdeo !!
Wiggins,
I think Mr. Jagdeo has been taking notice of brutality since the day he took office. The height of the killing spree started with the 2002 jail break.
Thank those Power hungry ones for introducing a new age barbarity to Guyana .
well well i have not made any comment for a very long time but here i am once again i love to boast about my country man and tell people how we Guyanese people are not so ignorant because we have our own university and very good school we don’t behave like, the Jamaica people who does kill for nothing, but when i pick up the newspaper and see a one man killing another man because of taunting his female friends about their sexual preference weather they lesbians, dikes or shehe they shoul have been proud of it instead of ashamed which means they them dont even know, look how it end up two of our youths which are soppost be the future of Guyana one gone to the great beyond the other is now government property these two[Mr Docile&Mr imbecile probably they had children what will become of these kids now they are left to be care for by there mother which well take some other dum dum the kids may not like,and deside run away and become delinquent that is how this diseased keep on spreading we know better and can do better so come on people let live and love guyanese are born to take tantolize my hearth goes out to both parent, DA IS AL FU NUW TALK TO YUAL LATER [ G T] TO THE BONE ????
Very sad, where are the public spiritedness citizens to come to his rescue, i’m sure they were many eyewittnesses and good samaritians out there, but they stood by and let him be battered, i guess the good samaritian and vigalantes are choosey in who they help. SN why are you making this blog more difficult, first you took the headlines out now i have to type my name in everytime i need to blog, what next, and why is the front page still with yesterday headings.
My heart felt sympathy to the daughter (Sara), relatives and friends of Athiel June. May his soul rest in peace? Some time ago, while studying social psychology at university, I explored the theory of the “bystander effect” and indeed, my eyes were opened to this real human phenomena. I recall some time during the nineties (in Guyana) while working at a hospital, an irate employee chased his boss around with a knife and many employees looked on in awe. I was quick to call the police and assisted in locking the aggressive employee in a room, until the law men arrived. Many citizens in Guyana and other parts of the world are witnesses to many forms of aggression and stand idle by because they believe that someone else will help or is seeking help. Some fear retaliation by the aggressor and prefer to turn the other way. Social psychology has demonstrated that people are more aggressive when it is hot rather than cold. While living in Guyana (and during any visit), I always remind my self that there is wisdom in keeping a “tranquil head” while driving, dealing with the public and interacting with my neighbours. It is not a smart thing to tease individuals of their sexual orientation but this does not justify the death of Athiel June. It is expected that those who have been responsible for the death of Athiel June will be arrested, charged and prosecuted. Justice awaits the aggressor(s)…
What the hell is wrong with these damn people? Just like that? One think he or she can take someone’s life? Ok people the next time you think you get angry and think you are going to take someones life because you do not like them, Dont forget you have a mouth speak up.
DONT KILL YOUR FELLOW BROTHER OR SISTEER.
This type of behavior is not new to Guyana nor the rest of the Caribbean, it is through ignorance and stupidity that people carry out thes type of “HATE CRIMES” I hope all involved are dealt with severely by the law.
Some Guyanese people need to stop making fun of and calling other people names. Even so, he didn’t deserve to be beaten to death.
Premeditated murder!The axe handle was on standby and the killer (whatever his sexual orientation)was probably taunted by others too,so Timothy paid the price by tasting the wrath of this brutal killer