Police yesterday took into custody about eight youths from Agricola, East Bank Demerara, after firing at least three shots in the air while telling them not to move, residents said.
When contacted, an officer at the Police Public Relations Department said that the youths were taken into custody to assist with investigations in relation to break and enter and stated that the department had no knowledge of any shots being fired. The department was also unable to say how many youths were taken into custody.
The incident occurred at Brutus Street, Agricola shortly after midday yesterday. According to residents a group of young men were playing football on the street when four policemen in a car pulled up and fired three shots in the air while ordering everyone to stay still.
According to an eyewitness, who declined to be named, the ranks “suddenly” pulled up and fired the three shots in the air. He said that there were a number of persons on the road at the time, as it was not a working day and many persons had gone to church. “I just standing here and all I hear is pow, pow pow”, he stated noting that upon hearing the gunshots “everybody running and ducking”.
The area where the incident occurred is next to an empty lot and this newspaper was told that there were some youths sitting under a tree in the lot playing cards. Accord-ing to the resident, the police ordered “nobody don’t move”, and placed them to lie face-down on the ground. Among the persons who tried to run but were forced to lie on the ground were children, this newspaper was told.
The man said that as everyone lay on the ground, the police radioed for back-up and a van with three other ranks arrived and the eight persons were placed inside and whisked away. “They take them and put them in the van an roll off”, the resident stated.
Residents condemned the firing of the shots as they pointed to the many children who were on the road at the time. “Them man do wildness”, one said, noting that the police went on patrols in the area and the firing of the shots was unnecessary.
“Is jus so they harassing people like this, them man eyes pass people boy”, a man stated. Residents said that most of the youths who were picked up by the police were employed. It is not clear if any of the youths were later released.
