Family pleads for justice months after son was gunned down at Lusignan auto dealership

May 22, 2024 News

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– police say file still with DPP

Kaieteur News – Months after a young man was shot dead at an auto delearship at Lusignan, East Coast Demerara his parents are calling for justice even as the Guyana Police Force said that they are still awaiting advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Dead is Jared Jagnandan, an 18-year-old of Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara. On March 21, 2024 police in a press statement reported that they were investigating an alleged shooting incident which occurred at about 11:10 hrs at Shaf Auto Sales located at Lot 157 Lusignan West, East Coast Demerara. The incident involved a 20-year-old Security Officer attached to Cerberus Security Service, who was armed with one 12-guage shotgun, which is owned by the security company and which resulted in the death of Jagnandan.

According to the police release back then enquiries disclosed that Shaf Auto Sales is owned by a 27-year-old who resides in Canada. The business is however operated by his brother of Lusignan West. Jagnandan, the police said was employed as a handyman while the suspect is employed as a Security Officer at the said business location.

According to the businessman, at about 11:08 hrs on the day in question, he and his wife returned to the store after transacting business. At the time they met the suspect on duty and the now-deceased teen seated in a chair, a short distance away from the Security Officer’s desk. The businessman said he and his wife proceeded to his office. A few minutes later they heard a loud explosion in the store. The businessman said he immediately exited his office where he saw the teen lying motionless on the ground with blood about the lower section of his body. The Security Officer told him Jared was shot. Jared was picked up in an unconscious state and placed into a motor car, which is owned by Cerberus Security Service and taken to Woodlands Hospital where he was seen and examined by a Doctor and later succummed. The matter was reported to Vigilance Police Station and acting on information received, Police went to Woodlands Hospital where the body was examined and a gunshot wound was seen on the upper left leg. Several persons were questioned in the area and certain information was received, police had detailed. The area was also canvassed for CCTV cameras and several were seen affixed at the building. The suspect was arrested and the shotgun was lodged along with 5 live cartridges and one spent shell.

No progress

However, since then the family of Jared said they have not received justice. “We Avalon and Reshma Jagnandan feel we have no choice but to address the public on something that has halted our life as we knew it and the only way we can hope to get back to some semblance of normalcy is if we can get justice,” Jared’s mother and father said in a statement issued on Tuesday. They detailed that on the 21^st day of March, 2024 an armed security guard attached to a private security service owned by Cerberus Security Inc. “unlawfully shot and killed our dear son, Jared Jagnandan. At the time, he was employed at Shaf Auto Sales Inc. as a marketing and sales representative.”

“It has been disclosed that the security service negligently and recklessly permitted the guard to possess the loaded firearm knowing that he had no license or permit to do so. It has also been disclosed that the Security Service has not cooperated with the police by providing certain records that they are legally required to maintain. It does not make sense that the police force is not able to compel cooperation,” the dead child’s parents said.

“At this time, some two months after our son was killed, no charge has been laid. The police have suggested that the file has gone to the DPP’s office for advice. Our attorney told us that it does not ordinarily take this long for a matter to be investigated and advised upon. We have been advised by our attorney that under the Private Security Act, every director of Cerberus Security Inc. can be criminally charged for breaches of the Act. The Security Licence can be cancelled or suspended, firearm licenses can be revoked. The law recognises that you cannot just set up a security firm, fail to provide adequate training, fail to acquire requisite licences, cause death by the combination of this negligence and escape free from penalty under the law.  When you put guns in peoples’ hands you must be held at a very high standard,” the parents said.

Additionally, the parents said their attorney advised that under the Criminal Law Offences Act and other pieces of legislation, Cerberus Security Inc. can be jointly charged with their employees as a principal offender in the unlawful killing of Jared Jagnandan together with other criminal offences.

“Even before a Security Firm can operate, they require the approval of the police force. Is it that this approval is given recklessly or negligently? And what of the Shaf Auto Sales Inc.? Jared was an employee of this establishment and rather than render immediate assistance they shifted all responsibility to the security company to provide assistance. Have the police done any investigations as to their potential criminal responsibility? Our son was shot on their premises, which has many cars on it, being an auto sale, yet he was made to bleed out while awaiting a vehicle from the security service instead. These critical wasted moments could have saved our son’s life. We call upon the authorities to investigate Shaf Auto Sales,” the family noted.

Additionally, the family said the the police have not shared anything meaningful with them in terms of documentary evidence, not even the post mortem report. “Just a short time ago, a father of four was stabbed to death, the police force in that matter rightly acted fast to begin the judicial process, indeed charges were laid and even a court hearing was scheduled a few days after the incident, the aggrieved family received the full cooperation of the police force.  Two months after our son’s death we feel no further ahead, why is our matter being treated with differently? Why don’t we deserve justice?” “We are also considering instituting civil proceedings in addition to what is supposed to take place in the criminal realm; this would be achieved far more efficiently with the cooperation of the police force. We fear if this drags on without action much longer, the security guard who shot our son will flee the country, the owners of the auto sale will flee the country, the security firm will find a way out, and the matter will be swept under the rug. Life will go on for everyone but us.”

“Our son Jared was 18 years old, he had his whole life ahead of him. He was a bright and affable young man who lit up every room he walked in, this world is much less without him. Cerberus Security Inc. and Shaf Auto Sale Inc. must be held accountable for their gross negligence and recklessness, which resulted in the death of our beloved son. No person is above the law, and all are equal under it.  If we cannot guarantee the sanctity of this principle we have failed as a nation, our youths are the future of this “One Guyana”.  We therefore call on the authorities for a full and transparent investigation, we call for justice.”

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• dealership, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), family, Jared Jagnandan, Lusignan

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