The police say that none of the three bandits who were fatally shot during last Thursday evening’s shootout at Norton Street surrendered during the ordeal.
This was disclosed by Commander of ‘A’ Division Marlon Chapman, who was speaking at a press conference hosted by Commissioner of Police Leslie James earlier this week.
Chapman said while he was initially informed that one of the bandits surrendered during the incident, he learnt otherwise upon arriving at the scene.
“I heard someone surrender but when I got to the scene, that wasn’t my indication. I was told that they were all injured while in the house and they were taken to the hospital and pronounced dead on arrival,” Chapman said.
The police in a press statement had also stated that one of the bandits, who suffered multiple gunshot injuries, had surrendered but succumbed to his injuries on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.
Stabroek News had previously reported that three bandits— Junior Nurse, Shawn Brown Jr and Leslie Griffith—were shot during a gunfight with the police after invading a Norton Street, Lodge home and holding construction worker Neville Leslie, 46, and his five-year-old son at gunpoint.
Autopsies revealed that the bandits died as a result of multiple gunshot injuries.
Prior to their shootout with the police, the three men had attacked Leslie and his son and demanded valuables, after learning that one of his family members had arrived in the country.
Leslie had related to this newspaper that around 8.30 pm, he was confronted by one of the men, who jumped his fence and pointed a gun to his face before demanding gold and money.
Two other men subsequently appeared, also armed with guns, and forced him into the house.
The three men took Leslie and his five-year-old son to the top flat of the house and started ransacking the premises.
After he kept telling the bandits that he did not have any gold or money, the men assaulted him and then took him into a back room.
Chapman said on the night of the incident, the police responded after receiving a report of armed robbery in the community. While they were in the room with the man, a passing police patrol was alerted by neighbours about strange men entering Leslie’s home.
The police subsequently took up tactical positions in front of the house, by which time the bandits were alerted about their presence.
Right after the police arrived, the three bandits stormed out of the room and went down the stairs in an apparent bid to escape. This prompted Leslie to block the door with barrels and other objects.
Prior to escaping out of a window along with his son, Leslie said he heard an exchange of fire between the bandits and police, and one of them complaining about being in pain from being shot.
Police Corporal Clive Clarke suffered a gunshot injury to his left leg. Clarke was taken to the GPH and later transferred to a city private hospital for medical attention.
James said Clarke will be commended for his bravery in public at a date to be announced.
Following the incident, the Ministry of Public Security commended the work of the police.
It, however, remains unclear if a police negotiator was present during the shootout.
“What I can say to you is that we do have persons who are trained in negotiation and when you have such operations that person goes along also with the team. But almost most situations, the negotiator is not necessary for them to [be] engaged,” James told reporters.
