Relatives awaiting post-mortem on robbery killing

Relatives of 23-year-old Delroy Forde who was fatally shot on Friday last by a licensed firearm holder whose wife he reportedly attacked and robbed are anxiously awaiting a post-mortem examination.

Forde’s sister said after the post-mortem they would be able to say if excessive force was used. A post-mortem is scheduled for tomorrow.

On Friday last a police statement said that a man and his wife had just withdrawn some money from the bank and were heading into Bourda market to do some shopping when Forde confronted the man’s wife. According to the statement Forde held the man’s wife at gunpoint. During the confrontation, Forde was shot in his chest by the licensed firearm holder. After lying at the corner of Robb Street and Orange Walk for almost an hour Forde’s body was removed and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Police said an unlicensed .32 Taurus revolver was found on Forde’s body along with a matching round and one spent shell. It is still not clear if Forde managed to relieve his victim of any valuables.

However contrary to this, eyewitnesses said that during the confrontation it seemed as if Forde held the woman at gunpoint, snatched something from her and was walking away from the scene. An eyewitness said that moments later the woman’s husband came out from a nearby store and discharged several rounds in Forde’s direction as he was walking away. The man and his wife, eyewitnesses said, immediately jumped into a grey 4X4 pick-up vehicle and left the scene. Stabroek News was subsequently told that the man who shot Forde later visited the Alberttown Police Station in the company of his lawyer where he reported the incident.

Meanwhile a police report had stated that Forde was only shot in the chest. The dead man’s sister Fiona Younge told Stabroek New that following the incident she visited the parlour to view her brother’s body. Younge said on her brother’s body there were other visible gunshot wounds.