Police are still to make an arrest in the murder of Lusignan teenager Ashmini Harriram and according to Crime Chief Leslie James it is “an active investigation”.
Updating the media last evening James said “we are working with what we have at the moment…we will always investigate thoroughly.”
Asked if it was a robbery, he said they are investigating the initial report they received. The initial
report was that the gunman first snatched Harriram’s cellular phone before shooting her in the head.
According to James, as information becomes available to the police, they will investigate.
The 18-year-old cosmetologist was close to her Lusignan Railway Embankment, East Coast Demerara home when she was shot.
Her cousin Fiona Samaroo, who was with her at the time, said they were walking along the roadway when a man exited a car with a gun, walked straight up to Harriram and grabbed the phone and shot her. Samaroo said she was unclear how many other persons were in the car as she only saw the gunman, who was holding a “small gun.” She said she was so shocked that she didn’t pay much attention to the man or the car as it drove off.
She said after Harriram was shot she was bleeding so much that she was unable to determine which part of her face the bullet had struck.
An eyewitness had recounted that as the two young woman were walking on the roadway, a burgundy car drove pass and stopped a short distance away. As they approached the vehicle a man came out of the front passenger side and walked straight up the teen. The eyewitness said the man snatched the phone Harriram was holding to her ear before walking back to the car. However, he turned back took three steps, placed a gun under her chin and pulled the trigger.
Relatives have since told this newspaper that while it is unclear what the motive was, they knew she had no problems with anyone which could have resulted in such a cruel death.
