Commissioner of Police (ag) Clifton Hicken has met with family and community members of 23-yea-rold Quindon Bacchus who was fatally shot during an encounter with police on Friday last at Haslington, East Coast Demerara (ECD).
Police claimed that they shot the man after he continuously opened fire at them but family members are refuting these claims, alleging that Bacchus was shot six times, to his back as he was running away from the lawmen.
Family and community members took to the streets to protest what they believe is a major injustice, prompting the Top Cop to visit the area to speak to relatives and friends of the now dead man.
Speaking to protestors, Hicken expressed, “I have spoken to the family and I told them that they will be an impartial investigation, the Police Complaint Authority (PCA) will be investigating this matter, that’s the body constituted to deal with the matter of this nature.”
“This will have no interference, I told the family that and I’m telling you this,” the Top Cop expressed.
The officer who pulled the trigger resulting in the death of Bacchus, a father of one of Golden Grove, ECD, has been placed under close arrested, Police spokesperson Mark Ramotar confirmed on Sunday.
He had also disclosed that the file will be forwarded to the PCA today to launch an investigation into the matter.
According to reports, on the day in question, ranks were conducting an intelligence-led operation in the Haslington New Scheme area of the ECD after receiving some information earlier in the day.
While there, the ranks said, they contacted a 22-year-old construction worker, who provided them with certain information. As a result of the information, the ranks went to Bacchus’ home, where he was seen with a firearm in his possession. He had reportedly intended to sell it to one of the ranks.
The rank, who was armed, made arrangements to purchase the firearm from Bacchus, who left and returned with the firearm.
In the process of conducting the deal, an alarm was raised and as a result, Bacchus ran in a southern direction and discharged a round in the rank’s direction, and the rank drew his service pistol and returned fire.
Police said Bacchus then ran further south and jumped into a yard, and the rank gave chase.
While in close proximity, Bacchus allegedly discharged several other rounds towards the rank, and the rank took cover and returned fire, hitting the now-deceased man about his body.
He reportedly fell to the ground, along with the firearm, which was later identified as a .380 pistol with a magazine that still had one round.
Police said Bacchus was picked up in a conscious state and escorted to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was seen and examined, but subsequently died.
Meanwhile, Attorney Darren Wade has since met with the family and issued a statement calling on the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to conduct an impartial probe.
Wade said the police must state whether or not a wanted bullet was issued for Bacchus’ arrest and whether any shells or warheads were recovered from the crime scene as well as the location from which they were retrieved.
“What intelligence/information was in the police’ possession in relation to the victim [and] what standard operation procedure was used before, during and after the shooting,” Wade further questioned.
The Attorney believes the Police must also state what was the trajectory of the bullet and the point of exit and entry of the bullet.
