-victim says a case of mistaken identity
Police yesterday were no closer to determining the motive behind Sunday’s attack by heavily armed gunmen on four men travelling in a car on Savage Street, North East La Penitence, while one of the victims claimed it was a case of mistaken identity.
The only information coming from a senior police officer when contacted yesterday was that investigations are ongoing.
Meanwhile, Wayne Smith, 47 of East La Penitence who sustained the worst injuries among the occupants of the car, is said to be recuperating at a private city hospital after undergoing surgery on Sunday. He sustained at least four gunshot wounds to his right shoulder and arm. Abdullah Muhammed, 54, of North East La Penitence was also injured during the attack, which occurred around 4:15 am. He was shot on his left arm just underneath his elbow and was sent home after receiving medical attention at the Georgetown Hospital.
At the time of the incident, the quartet was travelling to a mosque.
Yesterday, a still traumatised Muhammed said he was thankful that he survived the ordeal.
The man recalled that he was sitting in the front passenger seat and immediately ducked and did not see anything except a spark on the bonnet of the car. Muhammed explained that as the gunmen let loose a fusillade on the car, Smith was unable to duck down as he had done since the seatbelt prevented him from doing so. He noted that it was dark at the time and so he really could not have seen anything on the outside but was later told that there were three gunmen. He recalled feeling the sensation of being hit and seeing a lot of blood.
According to him, the shooting lasted for about five minutes but a resident said that it lasted for about a minute. In the course of the shooting the gunmen also sprayed the surrounding area with bullets, following which a car pulled up and sped away with the gunmen, said to be three in number. According to reports they were armed with various weapons including a rapid fire gun.
During the ordeal, Muhammed recalled, they called 911 several times but the number always rang out and he had later said that he had no problems with anyone and could not think of any reason why he and the others would be the targets of anyone. He dismissed the incident as a case of mistaken identity.
Police said in a statement that Smith and Muhammed, also known as Winston Edwards, were with two other men in motor car PKK 1659 on Savage Street, “when person or persons unknown fired several bullets at them, hitting Smith on his right arm and shoulder and Mohamed on his right hand.” Sixteen 7.62 x 39 and one .32 spent shells were found at the scene, the police added.
Muhammed told Stabroek News that they were all heading to the mosque when the incident occurred. He recalled that Smith had picked him up first and then they had gone to pick up the two other men. As they were half-way out of the small street, the gunmen, who were apparently lying in wait behind a parked truck, pounced and opened fire.
