Veronica Atherley, the newspaper vendor who was accidentally shot at Stabroek Square on Saturday, succumbed yesterday to her injuries while on a life support machine in the Intensive Care Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital.
Veronica Atherley
Scores of relatives and friends who had turned up to visit the woman at the usual 4 pm visiting hour went into the ward only to find her lifeless body on the bed. Relatives burst into loud wails and screams. As they cried, they lamented how good and hard-working a woman Veronica was. They also expressed surprise at the woman’s death, calling it sudden. As they cried and held on to each other, they said that even though the woman was in a critical condition, they had remained hopeful that she would have recovered.
According to hospital sources, the woman died at approximately 3 pm while still attached to the life support machine.
Atherley was sitting at her stand in the Stabroek Market area on August 29 selling newspapers, when she was shot by a licensed firearm holder. According to reports, two men attempted to rob the firearm holder in the Stabroek Market area and while attempting to flee, the man opened fire on the duo, missing his target but hitting the vendor. Atherley was hit in the region of her hip and was immediately rushed to the public hospital, bleeding profusely from the wound. The shooter attempted to flee after he realized that he had shot the woman but several persons pursued him and he was apprehended. Stabroek News understands that the man was released on station bail on Tuesday.
The injured woman was initially admitted a patient to the female surgical ward of the GPH but was subsequently moved to the ICU after her condition took a turn for the worse.
Questions have been raised about the charge that could be brought against the shooter. With Atherley’s passing, legal sources say the shooter could be charged with manslaughter.
Legal sources have observed that the licensed firearm holder is not exempt from prosecution because he was a victim and/or was targeted by criminals, and have argued that the act of discharging a firearm in a crowded area amounts to extreme recklessness.
“He ought not to face any charges if he had no intention to hit that woman, but he also ought not to discharge his firearm in a crowded area, such action amounts to extreme recklessness and the law is also cognizant of that”, a source said. By recklessly discharging his firearm in Stabroek Market square, the source said, Atherley’s wounding was the consequence and that the man is therefore criminally liable in the eyes of the law for unlawful wounding.
This newspaper was told that the law recognizes lawful as well as the unlawful use of a firearm. The source said the shooter, in this instance, unlawfully used his weapon. It was explained that as a licensed firearm holder he is empowered to use his gun in defence of himself and his property, and that he could have shot at the men under different circumstances without his actions attracting criminal liability. “He was not defending himself or his property because he had already been attacked and the men were fleeing when he shot at them”, the source added.
According to the legal source, a police officer has certain legal powers to use reasonable force to apprehend criminals which are not afforded to a layman- which means that the officer could have drawn his weapon and fired while the robbers were fleeing. But the source observed that the environment where the incident occurred calls for greater precaution even when it is an officer who is at the centre of a similar scenario.
Further, the source pointed out that it is of no material importance that the bullet which hit Atherley was not intended for her because of the legal doctrine of transferred malice. The source said that the doctrine speaks of the intent to commit a wrongful act being transferred to the unintended victim of that act.
Quote from the news article: “The shooter attempted to flee after he realized that he had shot the woman but several persons pursued him and he was apprehended. Stabroek News understands that the man was released on station bail on Tuesday.”
What was the charge that resulted in staton bail?
An IMMEDIATE manslaughter charge is now required.
My deepest condolences to the family and friends of the dearly departed , Veronica Atherley ; may she rest in peace .
Another lawless act has taken the life of an innocent hard working woman what a tragic lost of life !!! While the ignoramus with the gun did not intend to shoot Veronica he should spend the remainder of his life in prison – he is a danger to the society .
manslaughter one, dont shoot in a crowded place.
pay the price.
I think that this cowboy attitude that now exist in Guyana needs urgent attention by the goverment.this man must be charged with murder.and remanded in custody for trial.having a licence gun does not permit any one ,to use it in situations where the public is in danger.lets get this insident in proportion,if this cowboy’s mother,sister, aunt ,or dauther,was in the direction he was firing,would he of fired.or a police,or some goverment personel?.I dont think so.The charge is murder,let the judge deside on the mitigating circumstances,thats what judges are for.how would handle it if it was,your mom,aunt,sister?,I am glad its not mine.
Well!Well! all supporters of vigilante justice the day of reckoning has arrived. Many of us predicted it. This day was inevitable because of the tacit approval given by the silence of the Commissioner of Police and Minister of Home Affairs when previous vigilante acts occurred. I hope her family sues this trigger happy good Samaritan.
The G.P.H. strikes again. People arrive sick then seem to be doing better followed by a terminal relapse.
BOY!OH!BOY! FRUSTRATION AND ANGER !!NOT A GOOD COMBINATION!
This shooting was not intentional, but a LIFE IS LOST. We all have to take responsibility for our actions. I do sympathize with the shooter for his actions.As a fire arm holder he should know the BACIS LAWS; that one does not discharge a fire arm in crowed areas.That,he is an honest tax-payer and has to end up taking a life of another innocent, hadr worker in return for material things is very sad.
MY HEARTFELT SYMPATHY AND CONDOLENCES TO THIE GRIEVING FAMILY,RELATIVES AND FRIENDS.
Mr.President U still not loosing SLEEP????? INNOCENT LIVES ARE BEING TAKEN>>>>>WAKE UP!!WAKE UP!!! AN STAP FLYIN ROUND Dee WORL LIKE YU GRO WINGS!…
My condolences goes out to this woman’s family, friends and love ones. I was hoping that she would recover from this ordeal. Now, the cops need to act quickly and re-arrest this shooter and place him into custody (provided they can find him) so he can face manslaughter charges.
My sympathy to Ms Veronica Atherley family and friends.
A simple gun shot wound to the hip the doctors at GPH can’t fix,
why this woman had to die like this ?.
I do hope that the police charge this reckless vigilante for
manslaughter, this man shot this woman and was trying to getaway.
I was thinking the same thing. I have noticed that guyanese dies too easily at medical institutions in Guyana. Is it incompetency? I also read that a patient’s death certificate listed cause of death as due diarrhoea and vomiting…you got that???? Then you shall die in Guyana!
My sympathy to Ms Atherley’s family.
I have blogged about the high death rates for the GPH before Who is really in charge there? Did these people take an oath to promote life or what?? Guyanese survive all kinds of trauma only to be killed by negligence and the dont-give-a-damn attitude in the GPH. Change has to come from examples set by the top brass. It doesn’t matter if the pay is small. If you are not willing to go the extra mile, leave the job.
A cool three year prison term would suffice for this reckless action.
Th shooter should have taken the woman out of the country for proper medical attention and the family should sue.
The debate since the time of sling shots remain, if a criminal is fleeing, is it justifiable action to shoot him in the back.
If that is the case, then all fleeing criminals should be shot in the back. Give every person a firearm and let them shoot each other in the back. Those who short change others by giving incorrect weights, stealing electricity, implementing laws against the grain of the society, rape matters, etc, should be shot in the back. Then in no time GT will be empty, meaning from high powered to low class will be shot in the back. (But that is all wrong).
What about those fleeing criminals shooting back at the shooters and innocent bystanders getting shot in the crossfire. In a short time you have anachy reminiscent of the wild wild west. HEE HAA
Firearm holders have a responsibility under which their licences are granted.
I suggest that holders should be made to undergo refesher training every six months at their own expense. In this way they would remember never to shoot in a crowded area where innocent bystanders can be harmed.
My thoughts are with the family in their time of grief.
My Lord….so what are they going to do now….still continue giving gun license to people who cannot shoot properly????
May her soul rest in peace!!!
Many that were trained to shoot properly by the GOVERNMENT are turning guns on Civilians robbing and killing them.
a hard working mother, grandmother, nurturer gone at the hands of a moron who just felt great because he had the power of a gun. my condolences.
Vigilante justice proponents, what do you have to say now. I guess NOTHING. Now I expect to see the shooter charge with manslaughter.
Sadly, in the Guyana of today(actual Guyana as well as diaspora),the reply depends on who the shooting victim is.
What are we supposed to do? Tell the criminals that it is OK to rob and kill in crowded places because no one will resist?
It is very sad and unfortunate that Mrs. Veronica Atherley was accidentally and fatally shot by an idiot that did not exercise proper discretion when discharging a weapon in a crowed place. No one is saying that the shooter should not face charges, but this incident must not deter victims from fighting back. The circumstances that led to this tragic accident must be taken to account. Too bad the foolish shooter did not pursue and hit the intended targets.
In a place like Guyana where criminals are taking over the streets, there are plenty of Mrs. Veronica Atherleys killed by criminals. Does that not matter here?
What is the ratio of victims killing bystanders to criminals killing bystanders?
The ones here who are calling for the shooter’s head are the same ones who complain about the crime in Guyana. The Government and Police are unable or incapable of their jobs so the citizens are protecting themselves. The war on crime must go on.
MeAgain,
Who cares what race or color the victim is. Who cares what race or color the shooter is. What does it matter. Don’t make this into something it isn’t.
csingh I agre with you that the fight must go on, while urging for more restrain on the part of those licensed to carry.
If the shooter had hit his target he would have been praised as a hero perhaps, but he missed and now his head is on the line.
I regret that this innocent woman perished, I regret that the shooter acted in such an asinine manner, and I regret that those criminals were not caught.
May her soul rest in peace, and may there be justice served.
The proponents of Vigilantism are now hiding since he victim of the reckless shooting is now dead . Police should be present inside and outside the Stabroek Market since it is a crime-prone area . The police are trained to shoot and they are the ones to pursue and apprehend the fleeing criminals .
Crime is going to increase in Guyana because many illegal immigrants in Barbados are going to be repatriated and at present , many are being sent back after being arrested and charged for criminal offenses here in Barbados – more criminals to deal with , what a sad situation . The inept government led by President Bharrat Jagdeo do not have a clue how to govern Guyana , therefore , things are going to get worse .
“Where there is no vision , the people perish” .
Wiggins,
You comment here on SN enough to know that crime scene in Guyana is now BEYOND the control of the police force. Please stop beating the same old dead horse. We know they are corrupt elements within the govt. The people are doing what it takes to protect themselves. I am glad we are not as pessimistic as you are. We have hope. All is not lost. Not to worry though. Your Guyanese will soon return to Guyana.