Mechanic shot three times during shootout at popular bar

Jan 03, 2023 News

…Security guard beaten with glass bottle after asking driver to stop blocking entrance

Kaieteur News – A mechanic and a security guard are currently patients at a city hospital after they were injured during shooting incident at a popular bar located at MovieTowne complex early New Year’s Day.

Injured, Olofi De Santos

The injured have been identified as 30-year-old mechanic Olofi De Santos of Bagotville, East Bank Demerara (EBD) and 41-year-old Sheldon Adams, a security guard. The incident occurred at about 04:30h.

De Santos was shot thrice about his body while Adams was beaten with a glass bottle.

According to police reports, De Santos along with Eron Baptist, a 29-year-old licensed firearm holder and his brother Errol Baptist, a businessman (who is also a licensed firearm holder) both of Seaforth Street, Campbellville, Georgetown arrived in a car and parked in front the entrance of the bar.

Upon seeing this, the security guard who is employed at the popular nightspot, approached the driver of the car (one of the Baptist brothers) and asked him to remove the car since it was blocking the entrance to the bar. The Baptist brothers and De Santos exited the car and refused to move it.

Police reported that one of the Baptist brothers, who had a Hennessy bottle in his hand dealt the security guard one lash to the left side of his face, causing him to receive injuries and collapse to the ground.

It was reported that thereafter De Santos allegedly pulled out a handgun from his pants waist and discharged several rounds in the area. Due to this, shots were fired from patrons in and around the vicinity. De Santos was shot three times in the exchange of gunfire. There were over 200 persons at the bar at the time of the shootout, police said.

De Santos was shot once to his lower abdomen, right side chest and left forearm before collapsing. The firearm that he had brandished was taken from him. The Baptist brothers quickly entered the car and drove away.

Police on the scene on Sunday morning after the shooting incident occurred. (Photo courtesy of Joseph Allen)

Both De Santos and Adams were picked up and taken to a private hospital where they are being treated.

Ranks from Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters processed the scene, where four .40 spent shells, six 9MM spent shells, two .32 spent shells, and two warheads were found.

It was reported that the two Baptist brothers were later arrested, and their firearms, along with two magazines, one containing 12 and the other holding eight rounds, along with their firearm license, were seized and lodged.

The two were also swabbed for gunpowder residue and the motorcar they were using that night was examined.

Police stated that what appeared to be two bullet holes, one to the right side back door and one to the right side trunk, were seen. The car was also lodged.

Investigations are ongoing.