Plaisance shooting victim ‘clinically’ dead

-cops link dead robber to Cobra

Troy Collymore, called ‘Nellie,’ was yesterday declared “clinically dead” by doctors,  as a result of the gunshot he sustained to the head during a robbery at Plaisance, East Coast Demerara.

Collymore’s mother, Gloria, told Stabroek News that doctors informed her yesterday  of his  condition. The only thing keeping her son alive, the woman explained, is a life support machine. “He get shoot in his head and one time in his stomach,” she said. “The bullet in his head, the doctor tell me, damage his brain.”

Collymore was one of three injured in the incident, which resulted in the death of Anthony Taylor, called ‘Bow Wow,’ who a senior police officer yesterday said was a key figure in the gang led by fugitive Tyrone ‘Cobra’ Rowe. Taylor’s family yesterday strongly denied any link between the dead man and the gang leader, saying that he had only recently been released from jail.

The events that resulted in the shootings were still unclear up to yesterday and persons in the immediate area said that they did not see anything. Datt’s Drug store, where the incident occurred, was tightly shut yesterday but police were on the scene taking statements from persons. There was still blood and broken glass in the passageway besides the store. It was business as usual for nearby stores.

Police called the incident an armed robbery in a statement yesterday. No indication was given as to how, Taylor was shot. However, reports reaching this newspaper said the fatal shot came from the gun of an accomplice.

According to the police’s version of the events, overseas based Guyanese Noel Phillips, Collymore of  Plaisance Squatting Area and Chandrika Datt called ‘Shiv’, 27, of Industry, were chatting in front of a drug store owned by Datt, when he left to close the store after selling a customer. At this point, a gunman entered and held him up while Taylor and another accomplice, who were also armed, accosted Phillips and Collymore outside. The armed man took away a quantity of jewellery valued at $320,000 along with eight laptop computers from Datt, while his accomplices took away jewellery valued at $600,000 and an undisclosed sum of cash from Phillips. “During the robbery rounds were discharged which resulted in Taylor being shot and killed”  while Phillips was shot to his right arm and chest, Collymore was shot to his head, and Clyde Harris also of Plaisance who was in the vicinity shot to his left side jaw, the police said.

The two other perpetrators escaped. Phillips has been admitted to a private hospital and Collymore and Harris were admitted to the Georgetown Hospital.

An eyewitness had recalled hearing about fourteen gunshots. He became aware that sometime was going on when he heard the first four shots.

Shortly after that he saw Datt running away from the pharmacy area and towards a bar which is located at the corner of Victoria Street and Plaisance Railway Embank-ment. No one can say what sparked the volley of gunfire or if the gunmen were being challenged by someone.
‘Life support’
Collymore’s distressed mother said she was very upset with newspaper reports which labelled her son as a criminal. She had earlier admitted that he had been charged for the 2008 murder of businessman Ricardo Henriques.

However, Gloria said the case was later dismissed. “I don’t like how y’all make this thing sound like I saying my son is a criminal,” Gloria said. “I didn’t say nothing like that…the murder case against him was dismissed because there was no evidence.”

Media reports on the matter, she said, have put strain on her family relationships. Collymore’s reputed wife and the mother of his two children Gloria said, is refusing to speak with her after reading the Stabroek News’ article on the matter yesterday. “They are telling me that I labelled my son as a criminal.”

At the Georgetown Public Hospital yesterday, a large group of relatives was in the Intensive Care Unit waiting area. They were all anxiously awaiting their turn to see the injured man.

“His entire head is heavily swollen,” one relative who saw Collymore yesterday afternoon recalled, “and he does not look like the man we all know.”

Collymore’s mother was among the last to see him. When she finally did, she was overcome with grief. The woman collapsed in the waiting area and after she had been revived by relatives, still refused to leave the hospital. The injured man remained on life support up to press time last night and his mother insisted that she would not give doctors permission to switch it off. “He might be in a bad way but I have God on my side and I still got hope you know,” she insisted.

Meanwhile, Harris’ condition has been listed as stable. When this newspaper visited him in the male surgical ward he was surrounding by relatives. He was wearing a breathing mask and there was a tube in his side draining fluids.

A woman who identified herself as his mother said that he was well but did not want to say anything further. Relatives said that he was not in a condition to speak with this newspaper.

Over at the city hospital, Phillips was a patient of the recovery room. His wife, Gailann, said that he was fine and was conscious. She however added that he was not allowed to speak to the media. Up to the time of this midday visit police had not visited the injured man.
‘Cobra link’
Meanwhile, a senior police officer informed Stabroek News yesterday that Taylor, who was apparently shot accidentally by his accomplice during the robbery, was known to police. He said that the man was a close associate of ‘Cobra,’ who is the head of a gang held responsible for armed held responsible for armed robberies in the city and its immediate environs.

At Taylor’s Adelaide Street, Charlestown home yesterday, his mother and other relatives were infuriated over the ‘Cobra’ link. Michelle Craig said that her son was released from prison in May, after a firearm charge was dismissed against him for lack of evidence. She said that Taylor had been incarcerated for two years owing to the matter. “How he gon know Cobra when he been in prison all this time? Is de other day he come out,” the upset woman said, while adding that her son had no previous criminal record.

Since Taylor’s release, she added, the police visited her home several times in search of the wanted man. During a recent operation, more than a month ago, the woman recalled that ranks were searching her underwear bag. “They been searching there but ah didn’t know that wanted man does hide in underwear bag!”

According to Craig, she told the ranks that her son came out of jail after spending two years there and after one of them got confirmation from the Prison Service they never returned. Relatives were adamant that Taylor did not know the wanted man and Craig said that she was clueless as to why police would search her home.

Craig said she last saw her son between 8pm and 9 pm on Thursday night. The incident at Plaisance occurred around 9:45 pm. Early yesterday morning, she got news of the shooting. Later, in the company of the police she positively identified her son at the hospital morgue as being the person who was shot dead at Plaisance.

While she could not explain how her son ended up in Plaisance, the woman said that it was not robbery as no stolen articles were found in Taylor’s possession. Relatives said that they didn’t know if the dead man knew anyone in that community. Craig said that she noticed a bullet hole between his eye brows and she believes that her son was executed. She explained that after he was released from jail, rumours were circulating that he was bailed by a wanted man.