Police shoots teen, then reportedly tell relatives it was mistaken identity

May 29, 2026 News

(Kaieteur News) – Patrol ranks shot a 19-year-old man on Thursday at Block ‘E’ Sophia, Greater Georgetown claiming that he was wanted for robbery but relatives were reportedly later told that it was a case of mistaken identity.

Hospitalised with a bullet lodged close to his spine is Jukeem Scipio, a labourer. His mother, Faith Fordyce, explained to Kaieteur News on Thursday that doctors will re-attempt to remove the bullet again today. Reports are that the bullet ruptured his intestines and is lodged in a critical area. One wrong move, according to reports can damage Scipio’s spine.

Police reportedly shot the teen in his yard around 09:00hrs on Thursday and he was hit in his left-side abdomen.

Police shoots teen, then reportedly tell relatives it was mistaken identity

19-year-old Jukeem Scipio was shot by police.

In a statement the Guyana Police Force (GPF) said that its Office professional Responsibility is investigating the shooting.

“Initial enquiries revealed that ranks on mobile patrol duty received information that the 19-year-old was wanted in connection with an alleged Robbery Under Arms,” police stated before adding,“The ranks subsequently observed the 19-year-old riding a motorcycle and pursued him.”

According to the statement the pursuit ended at Scipio’s yard.

Police said that the teen dropped his bike and ran inside and during the encounter he was shot.

He was then apprehended and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he remains hospitalised. Police said that a spent shell was recovered from the scene and the gun used to shoot Scipio has been lodged as the OPR continues its investigation.

Meanwhile, relatives told Kaieteur News that a rank informed them that Scipio’s shooter will be placed under close arrest and explained that it was a case of mistaken identity.

Scipio’s mother is calling for justice. She said had she not heard her son’s screams and ran outside of her home; he may not have been alive.

She claimed that after he was shot police entered the yard and “cranked the gun and put to his head”.

However, she intervened and ask them why they wanted to kill her son.

According to woman the ranks told her that he is wanted for a robbery and they heard he was armed with a gun.

The family allowed police to search their home for the gun.

“They search the house and dem ain’t get no gun,” the angry woman told Kaieteur News.

She noted too this is second time in five days the police almost killed her son. The first run in with police was over documents for his motorcycle.

“My Son recently bought an XR bike, he has the papers but is presently looking after his licence”, she said.

On the day he was first stopped by police, the teen did not have his documents on him. He was close to his home so he reportedly asked the police for permission to ride to his home and get the documents but they reportedly refused.

“He said them tell he to jump in the van,” his mother told Kaieteur News while adding that he was tased. The woman said the police claimed that the young man was resisting arrest and also assaulted an officer.

He was subsequently released on station bail.

On Thursday, Scipio was riding the motorcycle along the Georgetown seawalls with a friend in close proximity after dealing with passport sized photographs for his licence when he was stopped by patrol ranks.

The teen claims that the police stopped his friend who was on another motorcycle and while his friend was being questioned, he rode away. The teen’s mother said that he was nervous because he did not have his licence.

The ranks reportedly pursued and eventually shot him at his home.

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Jukeem Scipio, mistaken identity, police, shooting

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