West Dem teen shot in shoulder after gunman threatened friend

A teenager of Recht door Zee, West Bank Demerara (WBD) was shot to her shoulder on Sunday while standing with a group of persons on Westminster Public Road, WBD around 8.30 pm just after the group had left church.

The injured girl has been identified as Lovern Pryce, 16, of Recht door Zee, Canal Number One. Pryce is currently in a stable condition at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH).

Police, in a statement released yesterday, said that from preliminary investigations it was gathered that Pryce was shot by an individual who is known to her.

Pryce, the police statement said, stood in front of her friend who initially had a gun placed to her neck by the gunman.

The police said the gunman walked up the group, which included Pryce’s parents and a friend, as they were standing on Westminster Public Road, placed the gun to the friend’s neck and instructed everyone not to move. However, Pryce stepped in front of her friend and the gunman pulled the trigger. The bullet hit Pryce in the upper right shoulder and the assailant immediately fled the scene in a motorcar which was parked a short distance away.

Pryce was picked up and rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital and later transferred to the GPH for additional medical treatment.

Police Commander of ‘D’ Division Leslie James told this newspaper last night that the matter is still being investigated and the police have not yet been able to pinpoint a motive for the shooting. He said they were yet to take a statement from the teenager, but was optimistic that she would provide information that would aid in the investigation.