A gold miner was fatally shot yesterday morning during a gun battle that erupted outside of El Dorado Trading in Newtown, Kitty, after an attempted robbery in which three others, including one of the robbers, were also wounded.
Miner Deon Stoll, 44, who was a father of two of Baramita Avenue, Bel-Air, succumbed to a single gunshot he sustained in the pelvic area, while two others, identified as Clayton Powley, 43, of Turkeyen, and Rory Deegs, 40, of Lot 7025 Herstelling, East Bank Demerara, remained hospitalised last night. They were said to be in stable condition.
Olijah Chesney, a member of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) who police believe was one of the men who attacked Stoll, was later found dead at Tucville Squatting Area with two suspected gunshot wounds. It is suspected that he was killed by his accomplices.
The shooting, which saw the exchange of “rapid gunfire”, unfolded around 10.15 am at Lot 63 Da Silva Street, Newtown, Kitty.
Crime Chief (ag) Michael Kingston informed Stabroek News that it is suspected that the bandits trailed the car, PPP 7227, which was driven by Powley, who is Stoll’s driver, before confronting the men as they were about to enter the business establishment.
“Based on what I know for now, the persons (bandits) probably trailed the car from where they were coming from and they attempted to rob the persons. In the process, both the driver (Powley) and the passenger (Stoll) were shot,” Kingston told Stabroek News.
He added that Stoll returned fire and it is believed that one bandit was wounded as a result.
Less than two hours after the shooting, the body of Chesney, 18, of Lot 562 ‘D’ Field, Sophia, was found.
The police, in a brief statement, said the shooting occurred around 11.50 am.
Stabroek News was reliably informed that investigators believe that Chesney’s accomplices took him to the location and inflicted the fatal wound before dumping his body out of fear that he might have spoken with police if he was allowed to seek medical attention for the wound he suffered during the attempted robbery.
A woman, this newspaper was told, is said to have reported hearing a gunshot after which Chesney’s body was found.
Police spokesman Jairam Ramlakhan, in a statement on the Newtown shooting said enquiries revealed that Stoll and Powley has just finished transacting business at a Sheriff Street, Campbellville location, where they collected a sum of cash.
Ramlakhan said they then proceeded to El Dorado Trading to conduct further business when the shooting unfolded.
“On arrival, a motor car which was travelling behind their vehicle stopped and two men exited the car wearing caps with their faces tied with kerchiefs,” the police said.
One of the bandits had a gun, while the other was armed with a knife.
“One with a knife approached Powley while the other approached Stoll with a handgun,” the police said before adding that the knife-wielding bandit ordered Powley to get out of the car while the other told Stoll not to draw his firearm.
However, according to the police, Powley exited the car and attempted to fend off his attacker during which he was shot in one of his hands.
By this time Stoll drew his licensed firearm and he and the gunman exchanged gunfire while in the car.
The bandits then ran and reentered their car, which was driven by a male accomplice.
They made good their escape empty-handed by driving west along Da Silva Street and turned south onto Vlissingen Road.
During the shooting, the police added, Deegs, the security guard at El Dorado Trading, opened the gate of the business to see what was going on when it was alleged that Stoll discharged two rounds in his direction, resulting in him being injured. Deegs was shot in his elbow and neck.
The entire shooting was recorded by surveillance cameras at El Dorado Trading.
In a video, which was seen by this newspaper, it was observed that prior to the shooting, the car in which Stoll and Powley were in was being followed by the one used by the robbers.
Powley turned in front of the business place and parked. Shortly after the bandits rushed out of the back seat of their white car and approached them.
Before Powley and Stoll could have exited their car, the bandits opened their doors. One pointed a gun at Stoll as he remained seated while the other was seen scuffling with Powley.
Powley eventually managed to get out of the car and fired at his attacker, who reentered his own car. Powley then ran for cover. Meanwhile, Stoll’s attacker stumbled before eventually managing to get up and return to the car in which he fled with the other robbers.
Stoll fired at the car as it drove away. As the bandits escaped, Stoll was seen holding onto the area where he was shot. Stoll and Powley were rushed to a city hospital, where the former subsequently succumbed.
When Stabroek News arrived at the scene, the area was cordoned off and the police were present in their numbers.
Crime scene ranks were at the scene for more than two hours. Bullet holes were seen in vehicles that were parked nearby and even in a neighbour’s window.
The rear window of a neighbour’s car was also shattered, while another neighbour said a bullet struck her television.
Residents said they were conducting their daily chores when they heard gunshots “ringing out”.
A shop owner said he was attending to customers when the shooting started.
The man, who is a licensed firearm holder, said he quickly went to get his firearm for his own safety and by the time he returned the shooting had ended.
“That is how just it happen,” he said.
Another resident said he rushed to render assistance to the injured men after the shooting. “When I ran there, the big man (Stoll) was slouch over in the car…in the passenger front seat with his gun in his hand,” he said.
Another man said he was in his backyard when he heard the sounds of gunshots. “When I come in front afterwards and I peep out, I see one ah the man brace up by the car,” he noted.
El Dorado Trading is a licensed gold trading company.
Stabroek News was told that for security reasons, facilities are in place for persons to drive into a section of the building that enables access to transact business indoors. It is believed that Stoll and Powley were awaiting to do so when they were attacked.
