A fruit vendor died on Monday evening, hours after he was stabbed on Cornhill Street, Georgetown during a heated argument allegedly by a man who is known to him.
Dead is Richard Noel called ‘Nippo’, 20, of Lot 39 William Street, Kitty.
Noel was stabbed once in his chest during the incident which occurred at about 1.30pm on Monday. He was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was admitted in a critical condition. He succumbed to his injury around 9pm.
The suspect, Timothy Mc Kenzie of Thomas Street, Kitty managed to flee the scene.
A police source related to Stabroek News yesterday that several checks were made for the suspect but investigators came up empty handed up to late yesterday afternoon.
While details surrounding the incident remains sketchy, Stabroek News was informed that Noel and the suspect are known to each other since they served time together in prison.
Reports are that the incident unfolded after the duo reportedly had a misunderstanding over a months-old incident where the suspect had allegedly assaulted Noel’s teenage sister.
On Monday afternoon, Noel was in the vicinity of the Stabroek Market where he plies his trade when he and McKenzie had an ‘exchange of words’.
During the process, McKenzie who was armed with a knife approached Noel and allegedly dealt him a single stab to his chest. Noel subsequently collapsed a short distance away and was rushed to the hospital by a public-spirited citizen.
When this newspaper visited the scene yesterday, an eyewitness who wished not to be named related that she was selling at a stall when she noticed a commotion between the two.
“All I see, these two boys (Noel and McKenzie) run across from Demico side deh….one had something looking like a chopper and the other one had something like a scissors and umm the one with the long chopper thing now run to this other one with the scissors and broadside he to he back and by time the boy (Noel) go fuh turn to run over to this part (Cornhill Street), he (the suspect) pull out this long thing (suspected to be the knife) and run it into the bai (Noel)”, the woman explained.
“Suh like the bai (Noel) aint even conscious he get juk”, she said.
At this point, she said her niece arrived in her car. “So when she pull up in she car now and she park…I stand up now fuh see…he (Noel) go in the bus (Route 41) and the people block he from going in the bus because he did already get this juk. So by time he walk from like three bus from where he did going in, all I see he collapse”, she added.
It was her niece she said who assisted in transporting Noel to the hospital.
When Stabroek News visited the dead man’s residence yesterday morning, a number of relatives had gathered. They were still trying to understand what really led to Noel’s death.
Six different sides
Tramain McCurdy, Noel’s brother said the family has been receiving several different accounts of what transpired. “Right now we getting like six different sides and we trying to pick out which one mek sense cause we ain’t get a full understanding of what went on”, he said.
McCurdy explained to this newspaper that he believes that the act was premeditated and could have been as a result of an old grievance since both Noel and the suspect were incarcerated at the same time. “…So we don’t know if they had something in there and they come out and try to sort it”, he said.
Relatives said Noel did not work on Monday. They said he journeyed to Georgetown to purchase some fruits for his stall and medication for his child who is unwell.
Meanwhile, Geranium Cliffe, Noel’s mother refuted claims that her son’s death was a result of the assault against his sister which occurred since January. During this time, he was in prison, she said.
“…And when that happen he was nowhere about, he was in jail. He come out of jail only on the 10th of February, so he know nothing about that story”, she said.
She said she learnt of the incident after someone who is known to her visited the home and related to her what transpired.
At that time she said she had just returned home and was preparing to go to work. “All they tell me, me son geh juk up and he gone hospital. Duh is all”, Cliffe said.
She said she last saw her son alive on Monday morning. “He didn’t go to sell, he follow me to the corner, hug me and kiss me and come back inside”, Cliffe said.
Stabroek News was informed that Noel was previously charged with illegal possession of firearm and ammunition. Relatives said he was sentenced to three years for the offence.
