Dexter Dubissette, called ‘Deke,’ 37, of 154 Non Pariel Street, Albouystown, was yesterday shot dead by the police shortly before noon, at the corner of James and La Penitence Streets, Albouystown.
In a press release issued shortly after the incident, the police stated that they were “investigating the circumstances of a shooting incident in which a man was fatally shot about 12:00 hrs today, in Albouystown, during an encounter with members of the force.”
According to the release, “One (1) 9mm Browning Pistol with four (4) live rounds was found in his possession. We are trying to ascertain information pertaining to the identity of the deceased who is known as `Deke.’”
But persons in the immediate vicinity yesterday disputed the implication of this version, saying that the deceased had not even reached close to the ranks when he had been shot, and he had had his hands raised in the air at the time. “Ask up to the smallest child. The man never reached close to the police to be checked,” one visibly moved resident said.
Several witnesses also told Stabroek News that Dubissette had not been wearing any shirt when he was shot.
This latest incident occurs two days after Thursday night’s shooting a corner away, in which two men were gunned down and another injured.
Dubissette who was said to have been shot close to the area of his right armpit was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he was taken by police.
Relatives who had gone to the hospital to identify the body, are however claiming that Dubissette had also sustained what appeared to be a wound to the region of the jaw.
Recounting events one eyewitness said that Dubissette and another man had been walking south along La Penitence Street, in the direction of Punt Trench Dam, when a party of policemen in a patrol vehicle had called on them.
The man said one of the law enforcers (name given) disembarked and ordered the duo to approach them.
Dubissette, the witness continued, heeding the police’s instruction, began approaching the vehicle with his hands raised in the air, but when he had almost reached the cops, a single gunshot rang out and Dubissette collapsed on the roadway.
“I only hear ‘pow’ and he [Dubissette] holler ‘ah’ and fall pon the ground.
After he fall they drag he to the van and three ah them hold onto to he and lift he in the van,” the witness said.
Several other persons gave a similar account, stating that after the shooting the police had almost instantaneously sprung into action, picked up the injured man, placed him quickly into the back of their vehicle and then driven off.
“They didn’t even check he; he just put up he hand and ah hear ‘pow,’” another resident said.
Eyewitnesses said the other man who was walking with Dubissette was approaching one of the ranks when Dubissette was shot. He claimed to have seen a look of disbelief on the face of one of the policemen as the shot rang out.
Stabroek News understands that as the police hurriedly placed Dubissette in the vehicle after the shooting, one of the ranks instructed the other man to “Move along!”
A pool of what appeared to be clotted blood was clearly visible at the corner of James and La Penitence Streets when this newspaper visited the scene yesterday.
It is being alleged by the dead man’s girlfriend, that Dubissette had had a gold chain weighing 30-pennyweight, $30,000 and a bunch of keys on his person. None of these items, she said, was available for collection when she visited the hospital yesterday.
She was adamant that Dubissette had not been wanted for any crime and observed that it was highly improbable that anyone with a gun would approach the police with their hands up.