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Survivors trek nine hours through dense jungle

Nov 09, 2010 News

… Canje River ambush killing

Survivors of a brutal attack that left a 33-year-old Berbice woodcutter dead, reportedly trekked nine hours through jungle-like area to report the matter. Among the survivors was a five-year-old.
Yesterday, police said that they were requesting the help of a helicopter to scour the scene of the incident and warned that the wanted men are known and are armed and dangerous.
A post mortem yesterday, on 33-year-old Cleveland Hetmeyer called ‘Water Dog’ of High Dam, Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam, confirmed that he died from hemorrhage and shock due to gunshot wounds. The post mortem was conducted by Pathologist, Dr. Nehaul Singh.
Two shotgun-toting men shot and killed the woodcutter around noon on Thursday before fleeing with his outboard engine and other valuables.
Hetmeyer was reportedly slain during a confrontation with the suspects in an area called Silverballi Gutter, some 90 miles up the Canje River.
His body, with bullet wounds to the leg and ribcage, was recovered late Sunday afternoon after police went in.
At the time of the shooting, Hetmeyer was with four others; Anthony Blair called ‘Horseman’, 23; Alfred Henry called ‘Buckman’ and his five-year-old son, along with a 13-year-old.
Kaieteur News learnt that Hetmeyer, who owned a boat, and his companions, had left their homes two Wednesdays ago to assist Henry dismantle his house and transport it to the coast. Hetmeyer also took the opportunity to cut some wood, based on orders that he had. Henry had also taken his boat (a punt) along on the trip.
It is understood that Hetmeyer was in his boat which was moored in the river, while the five- year-old was in his father’s punt, when the two men who were known to the victim as ‘Esmond’ and ‘Dagger’, approached them in another boat. They demanded that Hetmeyer ‘lend’ them his boat.
However, the woodcutter refused and an argument ensued, after which one of the men took a shotgun and blasted him in the left leg.
The woodcutter started to beg for his life, and hopped into the punt which was moored nearby. The other suspect then took the gun and shot Hetmeyer again, this time mortally wounding him in the abdomen.
They then threatened to kill the others, but these had already fled into the dense vegetation nearby. The gunmen then stole the victim’s boat, engine and food supplies and fled, leaving their boat behind and the mortally wounded man in Henry’s punt.
According to police, Henry had to carry his five-year-old son, walking for nine hours through the jungle to the Berbice River ‘Waterfront’ where they reported the incident.
However, it was not until Sunday that police went in to retrieve Hetmyer’s body.
The police yesterday also said that they are hunting the men whom they described as armed and dangerous.
The law officials also noted that it will be a challenge since the area is dense jungle and desolate.
It was reported that the suspects are part of a notorious gang that has been creating havoc in the Canje River, roaming the area, beating people and seizing their produce.
Both Hetmeyer and Henry had reported prior incidents with the men.
B Division Commander, Steve Merai, told this publication that the police will be “going all out to capture these men”. He also said that they are requesting the use of the army’s chopper to help flush the men out.

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