As investigations continue into the murder of 24-year-old Ashanti Liverpool of Dazzle Housing Scheme, ECD who was shot and killed this morning, the police have confirmed that the firearm used to commit the crime was collected from the suspect’s colleague, a security officer.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the 31-year-old suspect went to the Hong Kong Chinese Supermarket at Good Hope, (ECD) where he met a co-worker who at the time was armed with a AR-15 Rifle and eight rounds of live ammunition.
He told the co-worker that his supervisor had sent him to uplift the rifle. The security officer was hesitant and attempted to contact the supervisor but his calls went unanswered. He eventually handed over the weapon and ammunition to the suspect.
Before collecting the firearm, the suspect had visited his ex-girlfriend’s home where she saw her sitting inside a car with another man. However, after collecting the firearm he returned to the house where he met, his ex’s sister, Ashanti and enquired about her sister’s whereabouts.
After observing the suspect holding a firearm, Ashanti ran out of the house and as she made her way to the access road, the suspect opened fire.
Despite being shot, the injured woman ran a short distance and subsequently collapsed in a nearby yard. The suspect then went onto his motorcycle and left the scene.
Police added that he then went to the Hong Xing Supermarket at Industry Railway Embankment, ECD, where he met with another colleague who at the time was armed with one AR-15 Rifle with six live rounds of matching ammunition.
“The suspect told his colleague that he needed his help in clearing the rifle which he had in his possession because one round was stuck in the firearm. The colleague collected the rifle from the suspect and attempted to clear it outside the Supermarket, leaving his firearm inside the Supermarket where the suspect was,” the police added.
While doing this, the colleague heard a loud explosion and upon checking, he noticed the suspect on the ground with blood coming from the left side of his chest and the firearm beside him.
A Patrol from the Sparendaam Police Station was summoned, and the suspect was picked up in an unconscious state and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he is being treated for a wound to his chest. Investigations are continuing.
