Boy, 14, shot after friend allegedly robs Caucasian woman

A 14-year-old boy from ‘B’ Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown, is hospitalised with a gunshot wound after an alleged robbery involving his friend turned violent on Thursday night.

The incident occurred around 22:40h at Durban Park, Georgetown, according to the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

The teenage victim, who is a Grade Three student, reported that he was walking with his friend, known only as ‘Ranks,’ when they encountered a female Caucasian on Charlotte Street.

‘Ranks’ allegedly approached the woman, brandished a cutlass, and forcibly took her handbag. The two youths then fled the scene, running south along Albert Street as a group of people gave chase.

The boy recounted that he and his friend split up during the chase, with ‘Ranks’ disappearing in an unknown direction.

The 14-year-old continued running east along South Road before heading towards Durban Park, where his pursuers eventually caught him.

He claimed that several men began beating him with fists and kicks. During the assault, he heard a loud explosion and felt a burning sensation on the left side of his chest.

The attackers reportedly fled when other bystanders intervened, coming to the boy’s aid and notifying the police.

Emergency responders rushed him to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was treated for a gunshot wound to the chest. He is in stable condition in the Male Medical Ward.

Police have since launched an investigation but have yet to locate ‘Ranks,’ the female victim of the robbery, or the men allegedly involved in the assault and shooting.

The GPF noted that efforts to identify and question those involved have so far been unsuccessful, though several witnesses were interviewed and the crime scene processed.