Sophia man stabbed by cyclists

 Firefighters attending to the flames consuming the house reportedly owned by `Up’.
Firefighters attending to the flames consuming the house reportedly owned by `Up’.

Two suspects are in custody following their alleged involvement in a stabbing incident that occurred at Dennis Street, Sophia, yesterday, which left one man hospitalised, and according to reports from witnesses, three houses being burnt to the ground. It is reported that Alvano Williams, 29, of B Field Sophia, was stabbed and chopped about the body around 8:30 am yesterday, but while police sources say that two men are in custody, reports reaching this newspaper are that there were actually three assailants involved in the matter.

According to witnesses, the attackers go by the aliases of `Gaza’, `Short man’ and `Up’.

The victim’s girlfriend, Amanda David, told Stabroek News that Williams had been following her to work when the attack occurred.

She recalled that they were approached by three men on bicycles, and related that the first one to attack, stabbed Williams to the chest.

What remained of `Short man’s’ house after the fire. It is alleged that `Gaza’ was taking refuge in the shack before it was set alight.

“…the boy come up to him and seh, “you want problem with me?” so me boy seh, “boy move from hey” and he push me boy, and he had a long brown thing and he push it in he and then they start scuffling. And then he run away and me boy try fuh run across the bridge and me boy fall down,” David stated.

She said that after Williams fell, it was then that the other two men began chopping him about the body with a cutlass.

Williams’ mother, Bridgette Williams-Cain, said her son’s doctor related that the stab wound and a chop wound he received to the back, punctured a lung.

Where `Gaza’s’ house was once located.

Williams-Cain related that her son had a run-in with the man who stabbed him sometime last week, and stated that the matter had been reported to the police. It allegedly involved an altercation between the two because of an incident surrounding the man’s girlfriend. Other sources that spoke with this newspaper also related corresponding details of that particular event.

“He come home the night and he tell me that the boy come up to he and he seh, “Alvano, wah yall is deh pon boy? Wah yall is deh pon? Yall is wan people kill aya?” So me son turn and seh, “fuh wuh?” And he turn and seh, “you disrespecting me girl?” Or something like duh. And me son turn and seh, “boy wah I gon disrespect you girl fuh? Me and you girl is fren”…and well me son di working, he’s conduct, and he pelt a chap pon di bus and me son and the driver, they leff and they go to the station and they make a report…” the woman said.

Meanwhile, there were reports of three separate fires linked to yesterday’s stabbing event, allegedly set by Williams’ acquaintances.

Information reaching this newspaper are that the houses—two located in the squatting area and one in B Field, Sophia—which are reportedly owned by William’s assailants, may have been set alight by persons linked to Williams after the attack occurred.

It was also said that Williams’ first attacker (`Gaza’), who had fled the scene, had been hiding out in one of the houses.

The properties were completely destroyed by the fires.

Commander of the C Division, Calvin Brutus related that he had no knowledge of any fires linked to the incident. The same was related by David and Williams-Cain.