Latest update December 12th, 2024 1:00 AM
Shot Bare Roots youth discharged from hospital, remains in police custody
Yonick Willis
Police continue to investigate last Thursday’s shooting by the police of a 19-year-old Bare Roots resident, even as frantic efforts are being made to retrieve a firearm that he was reportedly seen throwing into a canal.
Yonick Willis who was shot in his upper right leg was discharged from hospital yesterday and has since given a statement on his version of what transpired.
He maintained that he is no armed robber and insisted that it was a knife that he threw into the trench when he attempted to ride away from the police mobile patrol.
However he will remain in police custody until a determination is made on his fate.
In a press release from Police Headquarters, Eve Leary, the Force stated that on Thursday afternoon ranks of a mobile police patrol at Bachelors’ Adventure, East Coast Demerara, saw Willis, who was wanted for questioning in relation to robbery under arms, riding a bicycle along the roadway.
The police said that upon seeing the ranks approaching, Willis rode away.
He was pursued by the police and during efforts to arrest him he was shot and injured to his left foot. “Efforts are being made to retrieve a firearm he was seen throwing into a nearby canal,” the police said.
However this newspaper was reliably informed that apart from the initial search of the canal, no other effort has been made by the police to locate the firearm that Willis allegedly threw away.
In addition to the statement of the suspect, investigators also obtained statements from several residents of the community all of whom reportedly stated that Willis had no gun when the police raided the area.
Investigators are still to receive statements from the ranks involved.
The residents are insisting that the police are trying to cover their tracks after shooting Willis by claiming that he had a gun.
According to the police, Yonick Willis is a suspect in an armed robbery committed on Latchmin Tapsie of Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, on May 3, last.
They said that the woman was held at gunpoint by a man armed with a firearm while she was walking along the roadway at Mon Repos.
The man allegedly relieved her of her jewellery and cell phone, then escaped.
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