Police in Berbice are hunting for two brothers who are the prime suspects in the fatal shooting at Mount Sinai, New Amsterdam on Wednesday.
Patrick Boodie, 38, of Levi Dam, Mount Sinai, died, while two others were injured after a fire that was set to clear land led to a dispute. The injured persons are Calvin Charles, 44, who is the brother of the deceased, and Jason Nicholas, 28, a mason and taxi driver who was in the vicinity at the time.
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, Regional Chairman David Armogan and CEO of the Berbice Regional Health Authority (BRHA) Dr Vishwa Mahadeo yesterday visited the crime scene and the home of the deceased and offered condolences to the grieving family.
Charles, who was discharged from the New Amsterdam Hospital yesterday, recalled the fatal encounter to the visitors.
Charles explained that sometime around 3 PM, he lit a heap of vegetation on fire. Sometime after, he was alerted by one of the suspects, who owns a property next door, that the fire was damaging the neighbouring property. “I push my head through the fence to see what part of the wood burn and he chucked me, so I chucked him back. Ah din know that another brother was at the back of me and this one lash me to my head,” Charles recounted. He added that one of the brothers dealt him a chop to the upper part of his shoulder. According to Charles, he immediately went through an alley in the area and told his brother what had occurred. He said Boodie walked out of his yard, unarmed, to inquire about the misunderstanding.
Charles admitted that he armed himself with a pitchfork and was returning to the scene. He said he saw his brother talking to the suspect before being chopped on his feet and then falling in a trench nearby.
Charles, in tears, further recounted that before his brother could back get up, he saw one of the assailants approaching and then shooting. “I didn’t know that my brother get hit… all I hear, ‘Badlam! Badlam! Badlam!” he recalled.
Boodie bled profusely at the scene.
He later succumbed at the New Amsterdam Hospital, where Charles was treated for chop wounds he sustained in the altercation. Nicholas, who also attempted to make peace, sustained a gunshot wound after the shooter fired wildly.
Reports from the community yesterday stated that the altercation may have not been the result of the fire but rather some prized possession that was hidden in the area. Charles said he was robbed of a gold chain during the altercation.
According to a source, one of the suspects was only recently released from prison after serving a sentence for narcotics. When Stabroek News visited the community yesterday, many residents expressed shock at the death of Boodie, who was said to be well respected and community-oriented.
Boodie is survived by his wife, Sonia, two daughters, ages 16 and 19, and 13 siblings.
Meanwhile, Sonia Boodie complained to Mahadeo about a nurse’s unprofessional behaviour at the hospital. She said a female nurse announced in the Accident and Emergency ward that “she na able nasty she skin right now… she has to get a gown.” Mahadeo assured her that the matter would be dealt with. He urged that she should give a statement after the funeral since although complaints are made nobody makes a documented report.
