Shane Hinds, the man who was shot by police last Friday evening in Cummingsburg, succumbed yesterday morning at the Georgetown Public Hospital and his family is calling for an investigation of the case after receiving conflicting reports of what occurred.
Mayor and City Council worker Hinds, 27, of Lot 193 Middle Road, La Penitence, Georgetown, had been in an unconscious state since the shooting.
His family received the call from the hospital sometime between 1am and 1:30am yesterday.
According to the police, around 7 pm on Friday, ranks of a mobile police patrol observed two men on a motor cycle, CG 1755, trailing a motor car along Thomas Street. The police said that they “challenged” the two men, whereupon the rider opened fire with a small firearm on the police, who returned fire, hitting Hinds, the pillion rider.
The rider escaped on the bike after Hinds was shot, the police reported.
Crime Chief Seelall Persaud yesterday said that Hinds was suspected to have been involved in a robbery. He said information so far received has indicated that Hinds was in the company of another man, who has not yet been identified by police.
Stabroek News yesterday visited the home on the deceased, where his mother, Collete Fraser, expressed a strong belief that there was some form of foul play in her son’s demise.
Relatives explained that Hinds left home with his best friend that evening on his motorcycle, which is yet to be recovered. They believe that the theft of the bike was the motive of the person who allegedly fired the first shot.
His aunt, who preferred not to be named, said that up to yesterday, they had been made to believe only what was reported in the media but after Hinds’ death, a witness, who did not want to be identified, came forward with a different account of what occurred.
According to the witness’ account, the two men were proceeding on the western half of Thomas Street, which is a one way street and were spotted by the police, who were driving along that same road. The relative said she was informed that Hinds was ordered off of the motorcycle by the man, who reportedly fired the first shot and he rode off. “This boy told Shane to come off the bike and he give the first bullet and ride away… then when the police pull up they shot him,” she said.
She added that police had indicated that Hinds was shot four times but according to doctors of the GPH, he was shot more than 12 times about the body.
Family members further relayed that doctors had been assuring them of Hinds’ improving health and as a result, the news of his death was a complete shock. “This whole thing is foul play… from the night he get shoot up to the time he dead,” Fraser said.
The woman told this newspaper that she is prepared to protest in front of the Brickdam Police Station until a proper investigation is carried out into her son’s shooting, but expressed her doubt that justice will be served in the case.
She further questioned the reason her son was shot, since he was not caught committing a criminal act. “They say he is a bandit but did they catch he thieving from somebody? What? Tell me! They shoot he from off the back of a bike… what is the reason for shooting my son?” Fraser lamented.
She noted that the family has since visited the police station but could get no answers about the circumstances surrounding Hinds’ death, only that police “are looking into it.”
This newspaper was initially told that Hinds was shot by police more than five times while on a motorcycle. He and a bystander, Yonette Cummings, of 271 Thomas Street, were the two persons wounded after police opened fire on two people on a motorcycle, police had reported.
Cummings was discharged from the hospital but is still experiencing severe pain in her foot.
