A mother of five was last evening shot dead by a gunman who walked into the Chinese Delicious Restaurant on D’Urban Street where she worked as a waitress. From all indications the motive behind the shooting was robbery.
Confirmed dead is 48-year-old Debra Blackman called ‘Debbie’ of Critchlow Circle, Tucville. It is said that she sustained a single bullet wound to the head.
The Chinese restaurant has been the target of bandits repeatedly over the years. This newspaper counted at least four cameras on the exterior of the building and was told that there were more inside. If they are working, it is expected that they would have captured some useful footage.
Reports are that around 7.15 pm, the gunman walked into the restaurant which is located between Haley and Hardina Streets. Considering that a box of food was found on the counter following the shooting it has been assumed that this represented the gunman’s order. Seconds after the shooting the man was seen walking out of the restaurant and he subsequently jumped onto a CG motor cycle which sped off. It is not immediately clear if the gunman escaped with any money or valuables. It is also unclear whether anyone else was in the restaurant at the time of the shooting.
When Stabroek News arrived at the scene about 15 minutes after the shooting, the shutters were down and police ranks were inside conducting their investigations. Dozens of persons gathered trying to get a glimpse of what was happening inside and as more and more people converged on the scene that became increasingly difficult. Subsequently several armed policemen from a patrol arrived and assisted with crowd control and the traffic situation.
Residents told reporters that it was a shock, especially considering how nice a person the woman was. One man openly voiced his disapproval that the woman was not taken to the hospital. “The Chinee man just lock up he door and lef she shaking up pon de ground…why he didn’t try to get her to the hospital?” he said. The man stated too that there were persons outside who would have willingly taken the woman to the hospital. He said that in spite of the fact that her injury was serious, taking her for medical attention
