Four killed as gunman opens fire on bar

Four killed as gunman opens fire on bar
-- at least eight others reported wounded

KILLED: Gavin Narine

FOUR persons, including a woman, were confirmed dead and about eight others wounded when a gunman reportedly emerged from a car, between 19:15 hrs and 19:30 hrs, and opened fire with a machinegun on patrons at the popular `Nathoo' bar and business place at Middleton/Pike Street, Campbellville, Georgetown.

Dead are Lloyd Singh, a businessman of Enterprise, East Coast Demerara; Gavin Narine, another businessman and popular national racing car driver; Ms. Joy Arjune, a GT&T (Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company) official, and an unidentified man.

Wounded and admitted to the St. Joseph's Mercy Hospital are Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Mr. Denis Hanomansingh, and Mr. Beharry Dookie, also known as `Nathoo', proprietor of the business place.

Also wounded were Mr. Deon Clarke; Assistant Commissioner of Police Kenneth Barran, and Senior Superintendent Balram Persaud.

THE bar after the shooting.

Unconfirmed reports said others may have been wounded in the shootings.
Hanomansingh was reportedly shot in a shoulder.

When the Chronicle arrived on the scene, a huge crowd had already gathered at the place.

There was blood almost everywhere inside the bar - on the tiled floor, on chairs and on the walls.

According to reports, the dead and wounded were among several persons who were socialising at the time in the bar when the gunman made his entry, opened fire and left.

The dead and wounded were subsequently transported to hospitals by ambulance and private vehicles.

There were conflicting reports about the colour of the car used by the gunman, some witnesses saying it was red, some burgundy and others white.

PART of the blood-covered floor of the bar.

As news of the shooting spread, friends and relatives of the dead and wounded and some Government officials hurriedly made their way to the bar and later to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where the dead persons and most of the wounded were taken.

Persons who were identified as being on the scene during the shooting, including a barman, were visibly shaken and tight lipped.

One man said that after the shooting he saw "bodies lying everywhere and blood all over them. It look like if was about 15 people lying down there."

Around 20:45 hrs, Dr. Madan Rambarran, Medical Superintendent of GPHC, who was thronged by media personnel seeking information about the dead and wounded, said in a brief comment that three persons were dead and five injured, one of them critically.

GUNMAN'S TARGET: the popular `Nathoo' bar and business place.

He said then that the female patient who was critical may not survive.

Some minutes after word was received that she too had died.

According to reports, Arjune was not a frequent visitor to the business place and had just gone there last night "to have a drink"

The shootings at `Nathoo' were preceded by another at around 18:45 hrs in Craig Street, Campbellville, where Delroy Gomes, 19, was fatally shot by two men toting machine guns and travelling in a burgundy car.

Reports said the men pulled up at the house and asked for the young man's father who is known as `Zapper', but he was not at home.

Delroy went outside to speak with the men and according to reports the men were seen questioning and manhandling him before opening fire on him and escaping.

He was reportedly shot five times.

Thursday, September 26, 2002