Robbery suspect shot dead by off duty cop

Jan 05, 2015 News

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A 34 year old Diamond East Bank Demerara man was shot dead early last night in what police are describing as a failed robbery bid perpetrated on an off duty police officer.
Ryan Couchman was shot in the chest just after sunset yesterday evening and was pronounced dead on arrival at the Diamond Hospital about 20 minutes later.

The incident occurred a short distance from where the Soesdyke/Linden Highway meets the East Bank Public Road.
Police in a statement issued later last night said that they are investigating an incident that occurred at about 19:00 hours yesterday, in which an armed policeman in plain clothes was attacked and robbed of his gold jewellery by three men at Soesdyke, EBD.
According to the police, during the robbery, the policeman, who was being repeatedly assaulted by the perpetrators, discharged a round which fatally wounded one of the men who has been identified as Ryan Crouchman, 34 years, of Diamond, EBD. The two accomplices managed to escape.
The police said that the injured rank had to receive medical treatment at the Diamond Diagnostic Centre.
The police added that Crouchman is known to the police and has been previously charged on a number of occasions for robbery under arms.
But according to an eyewitness, a fight had broken out before the gunshots rang out. He said that prior to that, a short distance away from where he was standing there was a commotion between some men.
He said he saw two men walking away from the commotion, heading south on the East Bank Demerara Public Road. One of the men had his hand around the other’s neck, saying something, “apparently trying to calm down the other man,” the eyewitness opined.
They were later joined by Couchman who appeared to be their friend.
The eyewitness said that he was too far away to hear what was being said, but according to him Couchman turned away from the two gentlemen and reportedly went up to the driver side of a car that was parked near where the commotion was taking place.
A confrontation took place between Couchman and the driver of the car and it appeared that Couchman, who was armed with a broken bottle, assaulted the driver.
The other two men who were walking away then rushed to the motorcar, and they allegedly pulled the driver out of the car and a scuffle began. According to the eyewitness, gunshots rang out and he saw Couchman fall to the ground, while the two other men ran away. Immediately after, the driver for the motorcar got into his vehicle and sped off.

Several persons rushed to where Couchman lay badly wounded and they eventually tried desperately to organize transportation to take him to the hospital. When Kaieteur News arrived on the scene, Couchman was still alive, but barely moving. His eyes were open, but he seemed to be having problems breathing. His blood had already stained the white tee-shirt he was wearing; and eyewitnesses claimed that at least four gunshots were pumped into Couchman’s chest.
The traffic was also backed up since persons returning to the city from creek outings on the Linden Highway, had also pulled over to get a glimpse of the dying man.
The deceased man had remained on the road corner for a few minutes before his body was placed into a car which sped him to the Diamond Hospital.
Couchman was however identified as being no stranger to the law. He has made several court appearances in the past and another off duty policeman who spoke with Kaieteur News on the scene said that the man had allegedly been involved in robberies.
In November, 2008, Couchman was detained in connection with a multi-million dollar heist at a Thomas Street gold establishment.  Police had alleged that he drove the getaway car that was involved in that robbery and that an eyewitness picked him out during an identification parade.
In January 2011, police alleged that Couchman and four others posed as customers and robbed a group of Bel Air diamond dealers of over $4.9 million in articles. He was remanded on that charge.
A senior police rank told this newspaper that Couchman’s death was as a result of a robbery. He claimed that a policeman attached to ‘C’ Division was attacked by two men at the Soesdyke/Linden junction.
The senior police source said that based on their investigation so far, they were informed that the policeman was standing when the two men approached him. One of the men struck the rank in his face with an object in an attempt to rob him. The rank then opened fire on his attackers which resulted in the death of Ryan Couchman.
When Kaieteur News arrived last night at Diamond Hospital, the Couchman’s wife, Natasha, told reporters that she was not at the scene of the incident. She related however that her husband, some family friends and relatives were at an outing at the creek on the highway and travelled to the Soesdyke junction later yesterday evening for a “wash down” at a nearby bar.
Natasha said that her husband’s friend subsequently got into an argument with someone. She said that the father of her two sons tried to intervene in the quarrel but apparently did not succeed in diffusing all the tension which subsequently led to a shootout.
The woman said that her husband was a gold miner and that doctors at the hospital said there was no sign of life when Couchman arrived.

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