Bullets fired in Travis Chase execution attempt does not match his gun

Dec 16, 2023 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

…journalist demands public apology from GPF, threatens to take legal actions

Kaieteur News – A ballistic test has proven that the 9mm shell casings which were found at the scene of an execution attempt on journalist Travis Chase on Wednesday, do not match his gun.

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) and Chase on Wednesday tussled over the gun used by a gunman at the crime scene.

Police said that one of its expert firearm examiners had noted similarities between the shell casings retrieved from the scene and Chase’s gun.

Crime Investigative Journalist, Travis Chase

The journalist was summoned to turn in his gun for further testing to confirm the police claim. Chase complied and in the company of his lawyer, prominent attorney Nigel Hughes, he visited the East La Penitence Police Station where he was allegedly harassed by the ranks there, including senior officers.

The lawmen had promised to conduct the testing immediately and return the weapon to chase. However, Chase went home minus the gun after the police kept the weapon.

Kaieteur News was reliably informed that the test was conducted shortly after and the results proved that there was no match.

This publication understands that the test also proved that the weapon never fired on the night the gunman attacked Chase. As a result the police had no choice but to return the licensed firearm to the journalist.

Meanwhile, Chase, through his attorney, has since moved to legally demand a public apology from the Police Force for harassing him when he was questioned by the ranks at the East La Penitence Police Station.

Failure to do so will result in him taking legal proceedings against the force and the state, his attorney said.

In a letter sent by his legal representation, the Nigel Hughes and Stoby law firm, to the Acting Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken, it was noted that the police ranks intimidated and demeaned Chase and his lawyer by “constant and persistent close quarter intensive video recording” of Hughes and Chase.

The law firm explained that the video recording process prevented Chase from communicating with his lawyer. Their actions, according to the law firm, was also a breach of a recent ruling by the High Court in another case in which it was ruled that a client is entitled to privacy between him/her and his/her lawyer.

“The aforementioned actions constitute a contempt of the orders of the Honourable Chief Justice, (Roxane Ann George) and are unlawful,” Chase’s lawyers stated.

In addition to the apology, the journalist, through his lawyers, is also demanding that the force handover or destroy all video recordings of him and his lawyer that the police made on Wednesday.

Meanwhile investigations into the shooting continue.

A gunman had reportedly opened fire on the journalist’s car at 19:05hrs at D’Urban Street and Cemetery Road, Georgetown. Chase told police that he parked his car in front of his house in 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.

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bullets, Crime Investigative Journalist, execution, Guyana Police Force (GPF), Travis Chase

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