Two detained for teen’s murder

Jun 30, 2012 News

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– gunshots fired at prime suspect’s home

At least two youths were in custody yesterday as police continue to investigate Thursday night’s stabbing to death of 17-year-old Rayaad Khan.
Investigators are also trying to determine if the tragedy has escalated into a full-scale vendetta after a group of unidentified men fired shots at the Eighteenth Street Diamond, East Bank Demerara home of the 18-year-old who eyewitnesses said stabbed Khan.
The shots were reportedly discharged by the occupants of a vehicle some 30 minutes after the stabbing had occurred. Some of the windows of the home and a glass case were shattered but no one was injured.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Police (Law Enforcement) Seelall Persaud, disclosed that detectives searched the Golden Grove, East Bank Demerara home of the victim’s father Azeem Khan, and also swabbed his hands for traces of gunpowder residue.
He said that Mr. Khan owns a licenced firearm.
“We swabbed his hands to see if this is a case of retaliation. His father is a licensed firearm holder, but the firearm (Mr. Khan’s) is not of the same caliber as the shells that were found.”
Mr. Khan confirmed to Kaieteur News that police questioned him about the shooting incident. He denied being involved and suggested that persons linked to the main suspect committed the act to make police focus on his family.
Police are still trying to ascertain whether the victim or the main suspect was the aggressor. Both families confirmed that the tragedy stemmed from a previous altercation. A girl is said to be at the centre of the dispute which started on Wednesday.
A brief police release stated that Khan and another man were involved in an altercation after taunting each other at around 19:30 hrs on Thursday when Khan was stabbed to his stomach with a knife.
He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, while the suspect was arrested.
Kaieteur News understands that the 18-year-old suspect told detectives that he stabbed Khan after the 17-year-old attacked him.
According to a source, the suspect claimed that he was in Seventeenth Street, Diamond New Scheme on Thursday night when Khan and others came up to him and other youths.
Police were also told that Khan and the suspect began to hurl taunts at one another.
The source also said that Khan said ‘leh we done this story’ (fight), and with that, the youths reportedly began to throw stones and other missiles at each other.
According to police sources, the suspect claimed that Khan suddenly placed his hand under his shirt and that the suspect then stabbed Khan before fleeing.
Michelle Ramkissoon, the mother of the main suspect, alleged that her son had visited his girlfriend in Seventeenth Street, Diamond on Thursday night when he was attacked.
She said that her son ran home and told her of the altercation. Ms. Ramkissoon said that she then took her son to the Golden Grove Police Station and it was then that the ranks informed her that Khan was dead.

The woman claimed that her son had complained that three youths had threatened him the previous night. The teen alleged that the youths had said that they would “turn him into a strainer.”
Refuting reports that his son was the aggressor, the victim’s father, Azeem Khan, alleged that a cousin who witnessed the incident said that a number of youths grabbed his son while one gang member stabbed him. Mr. Khan, who lives in Golden Grove Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, said that Rayaad had gone walking on Thursday night when his mother called her son and told him to go to the mosque to pray.
“He said okay, and after talking to his mother, he went to see a cousin (in nearby Diamond Housing Scheme), and ten minutes later we got a call that he had been stabbed and was lying on the road bleeding.”
The father said he immediately drove to the area.
“All I saw was my son lying on the road, and I scramble him up and put him in the pickup.
“I put him on a bed (at the hospital) and the doctors tell us to go outside. Then they say that one person can come inside and the way that three of them circle me I knew it was bad news.
“I think his death called him. I don’t think that there’s anything like an untimely death. I don’t think that my son was the aggressor, but because he is dead he can’t defend himself.”
Mr. Khan believes that a dispute over a girl caused his death. “The girl came to my house more than once. They broke off and maybe started a friendship with one of the suspects.”
Disclosing that he lavished a lot of attention on his son, Mr. Khan recounted that Rayaad dressed well, had started his own business, and had several girlfriends. He believes that this may have bred envy.
He said that the former Academy of Professional Studies student was called “the Romeo” of his school. However, he insisted that Rayaad was no troublemaker.
“He was progressive, hardworking and he wanted to reach the top. He was the sort of child that any parent would like to have. ”

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