A former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) rank, who along with an accomplice, hijacked a car earlier today, was this afternoon killed by the police during a shootout at Perth, Mahaicony on the East Coast Demerara (ECD).
The dead carjacker has been identified as Melroy Solomon called “Souce Mouth” of Titus Street, Agricola, East Bank Demerara. The former soldier was pronounced dead at the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital.
His accomplice who has not been identified as yet managed to escape.
According to information received, around 10:50 hrs today, the two men hired a taxi to take them to Seventh Street, Foulis, East Coast Demerara (ECD). On arriving at the location, they robbed the taxi driver of his car and other personal belongings.
The matter was reported and police ranks along the East Coast Demerara (ECD) were alerted to look out for the vehicle.
The Guyana Standard was told that earlier today, ranks in an unmarked vehicle intercepted the car at Mahaicony. Upon seeing the police, the suspects discharged several rounds at the ranks before escaping into Esan and Jacobs Village—also in Mahaicony.’
Reports are that the men even rammed into the side of the police’s vehicle with the stolen car in an attempt to slow the ranks down but they (suspects) were subsequently forced to abandon the vehicle after it got stuck in a ditch. The carjackers then escaped into the backlands.
According to information received, in the backdam, the suspects abducted and robbed a farmer of his clothing and demanded that he take them to the nearest road—on the back of the farmer’s horse.
This news agency was told that the farmer took the men to a street which led to the Mahaicony Public road. There, they boarded a taxi but was again, intercepted by the police ranks.
Reports are that the ranks demanded that the carjackers exit the car but the former soldier came out of the vehicle and started shooting at the police. The police ranks returned fire which subsequently led to the death of the former soldier.
The second suspect sped away in the car. An unlicensed .32 semi-automatic pistol with four live rounds were recovered at the scene.
The search for the second suspect is ongoing.
