Police shoot teen in the back

Jul 05, 2010 News

‘Cobra’ manhunt…

– heard saying…. “Shucks is the wrong person”

By Latoya Giles

A 17-year-old boy is in a critical condition at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), after he was shot in the back by the police who reportedly mistook him for wanted man “Cobra” yesterday afternoon.
Osafo Johnson, 17, of 707 East Ruimveldt was shot just as he walked out of his front gate. Up to press time last night, Johnson was in the High Dependency Unit of the hospital, where doctors were closely monitoring his condition.

Dexter Bentick displays his wound.

One source at the hospital told this newspaper publication that the bullet is lodged in Johnson’s left side chest.
The source said that Johnson was receiving oxygen and was also suffering from internal bleeding.
Relatives of Johnson, who spoke to Kaieteur News yesterday, said that he had just finished eating when he told his mother that he was going to visit relatives.
One relative who witnessed the shooting said that Johnson was standing at his front gate, trying to open it when he was confronted by the police.
According to the eyewitness, the police never said anything but just opened fire at Johnson who collapsed at the gate.
“Them ain’t say freeze or stop….nothing, they just shoot Osafo in he back….they could have killed him” said the relative.
Seconds later, the relative said they heard the police saying, “Oh shucks, is the wrong person we shoot”.

Wounded teen: Osafo Johnson

Angry residents quickly converged at the scene and pleaded with the police, but they refused to take the teen, who was bleeding profusely, to the hospital.
Johnson’s mother and other relatives were the ones who quickly summoned a taxi to transport the injured lad to the hospital.
Outraged relatives at the hospital yesterday questioned the motive behind the reckless shooting.
One relative told Kaieteur News that the police had arrested Johnson three days ago.
The relative said that the police came and said that they believe Johnson is wanted man “Cobra”.
After spending 72 hours in police custody, they released him without any charge.
Also injured in yesterday’s disturbance was football player Dexter Bentick called ‘dribbler.’
Bentick said that the police ordered him to remove from the scene, but he told them he was going to the shop.
Without warning, Bentick alleged, the police officer just whipped out his gun and said “you ain’t hear what I said…I is a serious f#@king man”, and shot him in the region of his abdomen.
Luckily for him the bullet only grazed him.

One of the two suspects arrested in yesterday’s shooting incident

Outraged residents, who witnessed the act, opined that the Police Force’s image is being tarnished by unruly officers.

Two arrested…
The police also arrested two young men following yesterday’s shooting incident. The men, according to the police are part of gang which is run by wanted man “Cobra”.
Police sources also told this newspaper that the two men and “Cobra’ were seen earlier in the area.
The source said that the two men who were armed with a handgun, opened fire at a police patrol.
The police returned fire at the two men and were able to capture them. However, wanted man “Cobra” was once again able to elude the police.
The two men were repeatedly told by the police to cover their faces. Unconfirmed reports are that the police recovered a gun on one of the suspects.
The two men arrested yesterday are being detained at the East Ruimveldt Police Outpost pending the outcome of the investigations.

Houses searched …..
Almost half an hour after the shooting, the Police carried out a massive search on a number of homes on the West Front Road as well as the Dam North of that location.

Suspect number two taken into custody yesterday

According to sources, they are looking for wanted man “Cobra” who is believed to be hiding in the community. No other persons were arrested after the search by the police.