Chinese man shot by bandits loses kidney

The Chinese man who was shot on Saturday evening when he rushed to the aid of his employer who was being robbed outside her Regent Street store, had to have one of his kidneys removed and is said to be in an unconscious state.

John Tian Xiang, 24, of 45 Robb Street, Georgetown, remains a patient of the High Dependency Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital and is said to be paralyzed from the waist down.

The man was shot after he rushed to the aid of his employer, said to be his aunt, Ling (only name given), who he observed was being confronted by two men after they had closed the business located in the C&F Building (opposite Lucky Dollar store, which was gutted by fire earlier this year).

It was explained that the unmasked bandits discharged four shots at Xiang before fleeing on their CG motorcycle.

Xiang was said to have suffered a single gunshot wound but sources said the possibility exists that he was shot more than once based on the injuries.

Stabroek News visited the Regent Street store and staff indicated that the Chinese manager at the time did not speak English.

Asked to speak to Ling, this newspaper was told that she had not turned out to work and efforts made to reach her by phone proved futile.

On the night of the incident, as if the shooting were not terrifying enough for Xiang and Ling, as they were heading to the hospital, the vehicle they were in suffered a blow-out at the corner of Thomas and Middle streets resulting in the vehicle turning over several times.

Ling sustained minor injuries to her hand and it was public-spirited citizens who rushed them to the nearby George-town Public Hospital.