A Bent Street, Werk-en-Rust man was stabbed to death outside Demico House on Thursday night shortly after he intervened in a quarrel involving a relative.
Jermain Persaud, 20, of 57 Bent Street, Werk-en-Rust died minutes after he was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital. He was stabbed with a scissors in the region of his heart and sustained other injuries about his body, according to reports.
Persaud was drinking in the company of relatives at the Demico House Roof Garden on Thursday night and had stepped out on the pavement when the stabbing occurred a few minutes before midnight.
His cousin, Orlando Duncan, who was involved in the quarrel that started it all, told Stabroek News yesterday that Persaud died innocently. He said that Persaud was not even there when an argument erupted between him and a group of men.
“He left to go and drop home a cousin when me and these men quarrel but he come back and stand up for me and two friends and that is what bring a problem,” Duncan related while rubbing his eyes and saying that he had no sleep since the incident.
Standing close to Duncan was another relative who was part of the group that night and who was still wearing a bloodstained shirt. He kept mumbling that the story went from a small incident to “a big one”.
According to Duncan, they were all drinking and having a good time when Persaud left for a short while. During that time he and two male friends got up and started dancing in a corner. He said this apparently offended a group of men sitting nearby and within a few minutes insulting comments were being hurled at them. Duncan said they responded and a small quarrel broke out.
When Persaud returned they told him what had happened and Persaud went over to find out was the cause of the verbal attacks and was assured by the men that everything was over. Duncan said Persaud later offered a male in the group a beer after they purchased a round and had one extra. But the man refused.
Shortly afterwards, Persaud left to go outside and one of the men followed him. Duncan said he was right behind them because he wanted to know why the man went after Persaud. When he got outside he recalled, the man, who was standing in front of Persaud, pulled out a pair of scissors and started stabbing him. The man then fled the scene and Persaud collapsed.
Duncan said they rushed him to the hospital within a few minutes but his injuries were severe. He said Persaud died a few minutes after they reached the hospital. The police were contacted and are investigating.
