A 42-year-old pork knocker was this afternoon shot and killed by police ranks who were called to his Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo home, which he was threatening to burn down.
Nidal Watkins called ‘Shawn’ held the police at bay with a cutlass and managed to chop two of them before he was shot about three times.
Relatives told this newspaper that the man who only returned home from the interior today to attend his mother’s funeral slated for tomorrow has been suffering with mental problems for some time and would often misbehave.
His behaviour today was sparked by domestic problems.
Relatives insisted that police had no need to shoot him more than once. Based on their account a rank shot him in the leg and then another shot at him.
The two injured ranks are receiving treatment at the Georgetown Hospital.
The police in a statement today said:
“Shawn Nidal Watkins, age 42 years of Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo was fatally shot by police at Vergenoegen following a cutlass attack on two ranks stationed in Police ‘D’ Division about 14:30 hrs today Saturday, May 26, 2012.
“Police at Leonora responding to reports of Domestic Violence and Arson at Meten-Meer-Zorg and Threatening Language at his mother’s home at Vergenoegen levelled against him, went to arrest him. Armed with two cutlasses and a knife the suspect attacked Corporal 19364 Williams chopping him several times and Constable 21310 Solomon who went to aid Williams on his left hand.
“Watkins was shot in the process and died before receiving medical attention at the Leonora Hospital while the two ranks were referred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation in a serious condition.”
