Robbery suspect wounded after shootout with police

Mar 15, 2014 News

– .38 revolver and live rounds found in canal
A 24-year-old man was shot by police at around 12.45 hrs yesterday while attempting to rob a woman in the vicinity of the Sophia Health Centre.
The suspect has been identified as 24-year-old Keron Cummings of ‘B’ Field, Sophia. He was shot to the left shoulder and right side and was admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

Keron Cummings being taken to the hospital by ranks yesterday

Keron Cummings being taken to the hospital yesterday

Police in a press release said that ranks responded to a report of a suspicious looking man on the roadway at ‘C’ Field, Sophia.
As the ranks approached in an unmarked vehicle, the man was reportedly observed to be carrying a firearm and was in the process of attempting to rob a woman on the roadway.
Kaieteur News understands that as the police challenged the man, he discharged a round at them. One of the ranks returned fire with a shotgun and wounded Cummings.
Police said the wounded man was arrested after jumping into a nearby canal in which an unlicensed .38 revolver with three live rounds and a spent shell were later recovered.
Yesterday, a worker from the Sophia Health Centre said that she was working when she heard the sound of gunshots.
“I run to the window and I see this man and the police with a lot of people around. I never see him (Cummings) before, but he opened fire on the police and he run and jump in the trench, but the police catch him and they find his gun.”
Police sources said that Cummings had attacked a woman in Lamaha Springs prior to his attempted robbery in Sophia. The woman, Garalanda Benn, alleged that he had also shot at her on Wednesday.
Benn said that she and her mother were sitting on their veranda on Wednesday when Cummings, who was passing, asked for a drink of water.
“I found it really strange that this man asking for water, so I told him that we don’t have and that I have to buy. He asked if I can allow him to come into the yard to go to the pipe and I told him that we have blackout and water wasn’t running,” the woman said.
She explained that Cummings told her that he resides at ‘C’ Field Sophia and whenever he passed in front of her home, he would talk to her father. “He said if it was my father, then my father would have given him the water.”
According to Benn, Cummings did not move from her gap. “He said ‘you don’t want to give me some water I will show you what I can do’ and he pulled out a gun and aimed at me.”
The young woman said that she and her mother immediately dropped to the floor and crawled inside of the house and locked their door. Cummings then left.
However, he reportedly returned yesterday around 10:45 hrs.
“I was closing my gate and I saw him approaching me and he was going into his haversack, so I ran into my neighbour yard because my gate was already locked. He followed me, then he turned back and fired a shot and he left.”
The police was informed and were in the area looking for Cummings, who reportedly fled into Sophia.
Police said they trailed the suspect into Sophia, where he was subsequently shot and apprehended.