Dead is Donna Marcus-Herod, 47, of Lot 125 Bladen Hall Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara.

Police in a press release said about 11:55 hours yesterday acting on information received that a number of wanted men were hiding in a house, police launched and operation at Friendship, East Coast Demerara.

The statement added that the police had crossed over the embankment going south when they came under gunfire and the ranks returned fire.

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The release stated that as the police continued moving towards the identified targets the ranks were shot at again and they returned fire while giving chase behind a total of about eleven men who ran into the bushes in the backlands area.

The statement said that police subsequently, received information that a woman had been shot north of the embankment.

She was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

Marcus-Herod received a single gunshot wound above her right eye.

Home Affairs Minister Mr. Clement Rohee in a comment to the Guyana Chronicle said he has not been fully briefed on the matter as yet.

He, however, assured that a thorough investigation will be carried out on the circumstances leading to the entire shooting incident.

Police said another team of Joint Services ranks have since been dispatched to assist with further action in relation to the bandits who escaped into the backlands.

Joan Watterton, 44, sister of the deceased told the Guyana Chronicle yesterday that her sibling was on her way home from work and decided to collect two of her children from Friendship Primary School.

"I was with her at the school and I collected one of the children while she said she was taking home two others and we parted company and she told me she heard gunshots and saw police and did not want to pass on the embankment," she recalled.

Watterton said she decided to take a "short cut" on her way home, while her sister walked ahead of her on the embankment and was fatally shot.

"I was behind her and I just turned my back and next I heard gunfire and a neighbour screamed and shouted that my sister is dead," she cried yesterday.

Watterton pointed out that when she turned back she saw her sister Marcus-Herod laying on the road with a group of ranks over her.

The grieving woman said that she was unaware that there was a confrontation in the area and she did not see any bandits.

"They murdered my sister and hauled her lifeless body and dumped her in the back of a police vehicle and took her away minutes after she was shot," Watterton said.

Marcus-Herod's two children ages 11 and 7 years old who were with her at the time she was killed, fortunately they escaped with injuries but sadly, witnessed the incident.

Marcus-Herod's two children were too traumatised to speak yesterday when the Guyana Chronicle visited and had to be comforted by relatives and they wept uncontrollably.

The family is contending that the police shot and killed Marcus-Herod because she had her working clothes and long boots and had finished weeding trenches in the area.

She also had two plastic bags with dried coconuts, eddo leaf callaloo and fish.

Marcus-Herod is survived by her husband, seven siblings, scores of relatives, nine children, two of whom live overseas.

Wednesday, September 05, 2007