As one of two men shot during a weekend execution-style attempt battles for his life hooked up to a life support machine, his family is refuting claims that he is involved in shady deals and said the incident raises many unanswered questions.
“Joe Joe is a peaceful and loving child; he works as a mason and is not the type to cause any trouble with a soul. I can clearly say he isn’t involved in any bad business, never had a run in withthe police nothing…why anyone would want to kill him we don’t know ?” were the words of Giovanni Leitch called ‘Joe Joe’s aunt as she and his mother spoke to Stabroek News from her East Coast Demerara home. The family members requested anonymity fearing for their safety.
The aunt said that Leitch lived between the homes of two aunts and never had any of them had reason to question his lifestyle. She said he is the eldest of three siblings and worked hard as a mason to supplement the income of his aunts.
On the day of the shooting the woman stated that Leitch, who was staying in Tucville at the time visited and informed her that he and his friend were going to get a haircut at one of the neighbourhood barbershops he had been using from childhood. She said that minutes after he left a young woman ran up screaming that her nephew had been shot. When she arrived she said the young man was covered in blood and in an unconscious state.
He was then taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery. He remains in a critical condition at the hospital.
Meanwhile his family said they have been thrown into a state of bewilderment because they have been asking “a million questions” and still have no answers as to why anyone would want him dead. They stressed that checks can be made with the police countrywide and the young man’s name can be cleared of any disrepute. They said that he did not complain to anyone that his life was at anytime in danger. They are now fearful for their lives because from their own investigations “nothing makes any sense”.
Meanwhile, Devon Agard called ‘Chucky’ who was also shot and underwent surgery to remove a bullet from his abdomen is in a stable condition. Neither he nor his family wanted to speak about the incident.
The two men came under fire on Saturday afternoon at Northslip Street, Sparendaam when they were attacked by gunmen who fired several shots, hitting Leitch four times about the body and Agard twice to his abdomen.
Police officials told this newspaper on Saturday that there were reports that Leitch was involved in a recent incident which ended with an attempt on his life. The other man, according to officials, seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Based on eyewitness accounts, at least eight shots were fired by two gunmen at the men as they headed to a barbershop in the Plaisance area.
Eyewitnesses told Stabroek News at the scene that the two young men were walking east along Market Street and as they neared an intersection, two men “calmly walked up and opened fire”.
After riddling the men with bullets, they said, the two gunmen walked away. One fled on foot while another jumped into a waiting yellow car which was parked on the Plaisance ‘line top’.
One woman, who did not want her name mentioned, said she saw two guys running. She said she realized that something was happening because the man on foot kept running and looking back. The man was also holding one of his pants’ pockets.
She said she decided to check to see what the men were running from. “When I go I see two boys lie down flat on the ground helpless,” she said.
She said the men were bleeding profusely and she urged persons nearby to put pressure on the wounds to stop the bleeding.
