Latest update December 21st, 2024 1:52 AM
Police and Travis Chase tussle over gun used at crime scene
Kaieteur News – Police on Wednesday said that spent shells retrieved from the scene of the execution attempt on Travis Chase might match his gun.
The force has requested that he lodge his licensed firearm so that police investigators can conduct further analysis before making any conclusion.
Police in a statement alleged that one of its expert firearm examiners compared the spent shells casings with the specimen shell casings that were obtained from Chase’s gun when he had registered it. “…the preliminary test result reveals significant similarities between these spent shells”, police said.
Crime Investigative Journalist, Travis Chase
Travis Chase has since refuted the police’s claims calling it “absolute nonsense”. According Chase, he had his gun on him at the time of the shooting and had never fired back any bullet at the suspect.
A gunman had reportedly opened fire on the journalist’s car around 9:05hrs at D’Urban Street and Cemetery Road, Georgetown. Chase told police that he parked his car in front of his house at the area and went inside to collect a shopping list from his aunt.
While entering his house, he heard gunshots coming from the direction of his car. He sought cover and after making sure his attackers had left, he stepped out and saw three bullet holes in his car.
The matter was reported to police and according to investigators, three nine millimeters spent shells and one live 9MM round were found at the scene. Several persons have since been questioned by police. Chase told Kaieteur News that the experience was a scary one and he hopes that investigators are able to make a breakthrough in his case since it is not the first time efforts were made to harm him.
In 2020, Chase’s Honda SUV was burnt by unknown persons while parked within the Ministry of Public Service’ compound, on Vlissengen Road and D’Urban Street, Georgetown. The case remains unsolved. On Monday night, Chase said he had no idea who would want to kill him but suspects that his style of reporting may have angered someone. Notwithstanding, the journalist reassured: “I am a reporter that stands for the truth. I am not going to be scared or back down from this.”
The attack on Chase has been condemned by the Guyana Press Association and Pedro Vaca Villarreal, Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) called on the Guyanese authorities to protect the journalist.
The GPA on Tuesday had called for a thorough investigation into the shooting incident. “The GPA calls on the authorities to move swiftly to bring the perpetrators to justice. Journalists must be allowed to work without threats to their lives and livelihood. The GPA has since notified its regional and international partners of this development,” the associated statement read.
Shadow Home Affairs Minister and Member of Parliament, Geeta Chandan-Edmond said in a statement Wednesday that she is “profoundly shocked , saddened and extremely concerned about the attempts on the life of one of Guyana’s revered media personnel, Mr. Travis Chase.”
Chandan-Edmond said this development is indicative of how dangerous freedom of expression and the right to be a journalist has become under the PPP Administration. “This development flies in the face of the UN Declaration of Press Freedom, Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Geneva Conventions and the UN Security Council Resolution 2222 on the protection of journalists. It is my sincere hope that this sordid act will be investigated and the perpetrators are brought to justice forthwith.”
She said this call is made against the backdrop of rising crime and Guyana facing its most insecure time in decades. “To date, the Guyana Police Force remains highly politicized, there is no crime plan, the Ministry of Home Affairs has no clue and criminal justice system is on its knees. I use this opportunity to, once again, call on the Government to arrest the crime situation and return Guyana to its pre-2020 calm and peace. The people of Guyana must be safe and secure in their homes , communities, villages and towns and it is a responsibility of the state to formulate and articulate clear and consistent policies to ensure citizen security,” the shadow minister said.
- gun, Pedro Vaca Villarreal, police, shooting, Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), Travis Chase
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
The GRA is batting out of its crease
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has once again demonstrated a perplexing propensity... more
Let the asylum seekers go: a first step for Venezuela to rebuild relations in the Americas
By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News – The government of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela has steadfast support from many... more
Weekend Cartoon
