Mayor of Georgetown, Patricia Chase-Green on Tuesday disclosed that the Guyana Police Force has taken over the matter concerning the city constabulary officer who shot a man of unsound mind over the weekend, resulting in his death.
“As we speak, the rank is still in police custody. The police have taken over the matter. The investigations are being done by the national police,” she explained while positing that “until that report is submitted to us [Mayor and City Council- M&CC] there is not much that I can say.”
Moreover, she noted that the M&CC’s city constabulary department intends to do everything to bring closure to the matter but again, this would depend on the outcome of the police investigations.
Chase-Green asserted that this incident has brought to light many issues that need to be addressed within the constabulary.
“This has brought more than one issues to light and there is a greater need now more than ever before to have the constabulary if not restructured to have training at all levels and so therefore, the town clerk has started the process of calling and writing to the national police for training so we are on board together to ensure that all our ranks are properly trained,” she said.
Marlon Fredricks, was on Friday last arrested by police and then shot by a city constabulary officer on Saturday after it was alleged that the wanted man was attempting to escape lawful custody.
The incident occurred just outside the City Constabulary outpost on Regent Street.
Fredricks was shot and killed in the presence of his mother, Claudette Fredericks, who had gone to the outpost to visit him, INews understands.
Police in a subsequent release had detailed that Fredricks “who was in custody at the Outpost for assaulting a peace officer and simple larceny, allegedly forced his way outside of the lockup when it was opened to let out another prisoner… A struggle reportedly ensued between the victim and the lance corporal who tried to restrain him and in the process the prisoner ran out the Outpost and was fatally shot once in the lower back by the Lance Corporal who was armed with a service pistol.”
Eyewitnesses have, however, reported that the man was not attempting to escape custody but was running towards his mother when he saw her.
Since then, Fredricks’ mother was quoted in the media calling for justice for her son.
