Latest update January 1st, 2025 1:00 AM
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Ex-cop shot by police after threatening woman with toy gun
Randy Charles
An ex-policeman is presently in a stable condition at the Georgetown Hospital, after he was shot in the thigh by the police on Wednesday night, after allegedly threatening a woman with a toy gun.
According to a police press release, ranks were responding to a report that Randy Charles 26, of 35 Field D1, South Turkeyen, was armed with a handgun in a house at ‘E’ Field, Sophia.
The report indicated that Charles was threatening 39-year-old Althea Smith.
It was further stated that on arrival at the scene the police saw Charles with the “firearm” holding it against the woman’s head. Ranks immediately tried to disarm him and it was during that process that Charles confronted one of the ranks and attempted to take his firearm away.
A scuffle reportedly ensued between the policeman and Charles, and the latter was shot to the left thigh.
The ‘firearm’ that was in Charles’ possession, according to the police, is said to be a toy gun.
Meanwhile when this newspaper visited the home of Althea Smith yesterday, one of the woman’s siblings offered to explain the sequence of events that leaded up to the shooting.
According to the relative it was around 20:00hrs when Charles came to the house and started enquiring about a male acquaintance with whom Smith had shared a relationship.
The relative told Kaieteur News that Smith and the male acquaintance, whose name was given as “Joseph”, had parted ways about two months ago. According to the relative, Charles was looking for the man to settle an old debt.
Kaieteur News was told that Charles entered the woman’s yard and began talking to the relative.
According to the relative he began telling Charles that Smith and “Joseph’ were no longer together. The relative said Charles was in his full Muslim attire and was brandishing what appeared to be a firearm.
“I tell he Randy Charles ….that Joseph don’t live here and I really don’t appreciate that he coming here and disrespecting the house…” the relative said.
After telling Charles that the person whom he was looking for didn’t live there, the former policeman began demanding that Smith and her relatives had to pay him the money that Joseph owed him.
The relative said after that Charles began shouting and waving the gun, emphasising that he needed his money because he could die.
At this point the relative said, he told Charles that he could have tried to get onto a relative of “Joseph” since his sister did not know his whereabouts. Charles then went upstairs and began talking to Smith.
The man recounted that shortly after he saw Charles sitting in a chair with the “gun” in his lap. At this point the relative said he got dressed and proceeded to the Turkeyen Police Station.
While at the station, the relative said a neighbour called to say that there was a commotion in the house.
He immediately told the police, who subsequently called for a patrol vehicle. As they approached the house, Smith was heard screaming.
The relative said he directed the police to go up the back steps into the house, since the family didn’t use the front door at nights.
Once at the back door, this newspaper was told that the police saw Charles holding the “gun” against the woman’s head.
Charles then pushed the woman away and started advancing towards the police. A scuffle ensued and Charles was shot.
The police then assisted in getting him to the hospital, where he immediately underwent surgery to have the bullet removed.
His condition has been listed as stable, and the police are investigating the incident.
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