Acting Crime Chief Michael Kingston yesterday said that he will be writing the Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) soon to request that the body oversee the investigation into the fatal shooting of Leopold Street resident Orin Odingo Williams.
Kingston made this disclosure yesterday when contacted for an update on the fatal shooting.
He stated that the fatal shooting of Williams allegedly by the police will be investigated like every other shooting incident. “All shootings will be investigated,” he noted.
The PCA, currently chaired by retired judge William Ramlal, is the only independent body vested with the powers to investigate complaints against the police.
Williams, called ‘Pregga’, 34, a father of two of Leopold and Breda streets, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown was shot and killed early Wednesday morning by the police, who were responding to reports of several armed robberies.
It occurred around 1.45 am at Norton Street, Wortmanville, Georgetown.
An autopsy performed yesterday showed that Williams died as a result of multiple gunshot injuries.
Investigations, the police said in a statement, revealed that Williams was among three men who allegedly robbed four persons at gunpoint at the corner of Hadfield and High streets, Georgetown.
The victims were relieved of their cell phones, an undisclosed amount of cash and personal documents. “The victims promptly reported the matter to the police, who responded and proceeded in the direction in which the suspects allegedly fled,” the statement said.
While in the vicinity of Norton and Bishop streets, the police said, one of the suspects (Williams) dismounted his bicycle and allegedly discharged two rounds at the ranks, who returned fire with their service weapons.
Williams was wounded while his two accomplices managed to escape.
The police recovered a .38 revolver, one live round, two spent shells, a quantity of cannabis, three cell phones, a yellow metal chain, $10,900 and one backpack at the scene.
The police had said that Williams was identified by the victims as one of the robbers.
“Two of the cellular phones recovered have since been identified by two of the victims as those belonging to them,” the police added.
Relatives of Williams had, however, refuted the police’s account of what transpired.
They said that Williams had just left Leopold Street for his girlfriend’s place in Princes Street, when the police chased after him and shot him.
“When he (Williams) ride off, like five minutes after he ride off, patrol [passed] pun a motorbike pass and guh behind he; then we heard three gunshot. Well, we suspect something happen to he but we didn’t know. Is till this morning about 6:30 we heard wah happen,” a cousin of the dead man, who wished not to be named, had told Stabroek News.
“People seh they hear the shooting. They seh is some Rasta man from Leopold get shoot. But he is not a Rasta, he had he hair screw. Is when we go the hospital, we find out is he,” the man added.
He noted that Williams returned to Guyana from Cayenne, French Guiana about three months ago after about 13 years in that country. He said Williams was incarcerated over there but could not recall for what offence.
The fatal shooting had triggered an hours-long protest by angry residents and relatives of Williams, who they said did not commit any crime and was wrongfully killed by the police.
With their faces concealed and with various items in their hands, the resident burnt tyres and other debris and even blocked the streets with barrels as they vented their concerns. Gunshots were also fired in the air.
The “unrest” lasted for several hours and was quelled after Commander of ‘A’ Division, Marlon Chapman, in the presence of attorney Nigel Hughes, visited the area.
During an interaction, Chapman assured the residents that a thorough investigation will be conducted into the matter.
As a result, residents agreed to extinguish the fires and remove the debris from the roadway.
