DEAD:
Carl Anthony
Abrams
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PRESIDENT
Bharrat Jagdeo has
requested a copy of the
police report into the
fatal shooting of
22-year-old Carl Anthony
Abrams which yesterday
stirred mounting
protests on the East
Coast Demerara.
He
last night met grieving
relatives while on a
visit to Ann’s Grove,
also on the East Coast,
who said they are
seeking justice against
the “unlawful
killing”.
Mr
Jagdeo, after
sympathising with them,
asked Police Divisional
Commander Leroy Brummel
to ensure that all the
statements are taken by
today and the report
submitted by tomorrow
morning.
The
President said he will
meet the relatives again
after receiving the
report.
Mr
Brummel said an
impartial investigation
has been launched into
the shooting and the
policeman involved is
under close arrest. He
also urged residents
with information to talk
to investigators.
Abrams
was shot Sunday night
while he was sitting in
front of a friend’s
yard not far from where
he lived on the Nabaclis
Side Line Dam, East
Coast Demerara.
NABACLIS
PROTEST:
picketers outside the
Police Divisional
headquarters at Cove and
John yesterday.
(Cullen
Bess-Nelson photo)
More
than 100 residents of
the village yesterday
protested outside the
Police divisional
headquarters at Cove and
John, carrying placards
and shouting that the
young man was wrongfully
killed.
Brummel
told reporters that as a
father he knows how the
bereaved family is
feeling and extended
condolences to them.
“I
am listening to both
sides”, he said.
REPORT
REQUESTED:
President
Bharrat Jagdeo
talking to
grief-stricken
relatives of
Carl Abrams last
night. (Delano
Williams photo)
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Residents
of Nabaclis told
reporters yesterday that
the cop had robbed two
villagers before he
confronted Abrams in the
presence of another man.
The
villager was shot in the
abdomen and died while
receiving treatment at
the Georgetown Public
Hospital Corporation (GPHC).
Brummel
stressed that prior to
the shooting incident he
never received any
report against the
policeman regarding his
conduct.
The
police in a press
release said that on
Sunday between 18:00 h
and 18:45 h, Abrams was
wounded by police
gunfire at Nabaclis Side
Line Dam.
The
police said a fellow
villager had made a
report of a gun threat
by Abrams and the
complainant was being
chased by Abrams when he
met the armed policeman
in the area.
The
release said, that on
seeing the two men
together, Abrams fired a
round in their direction
and they both took
evasive action and the
cop returned fire,
hitting Abrams in the
abdomen.
Regarding
the weapon the policeman
was armed with, the
police said he was
authorised to carry a
firearm but not for 24
hours a day and he was
on duty when the
incident occurred.
The
gun Abrams allegedly had
has not been found.
Residents
maintained that Abrams
was not troublesome and
he did not have a gun as
the police claimed.
“He
(the policeman) rob my
child father of $500 and
then he go and shoot
that boy (Abrams); he
did not deserve to die
like that and he was not
a criminal,” one
resident cried yesterday
holding a placard during
the protest. (MICHEL
OUTRIDGE AND RENU
RAGUBHIR)
Wednesday,
November 16, 2005
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