Wanted man wounded in shootout

Aug 13, 2011 News

A known criminal suspect had his left hand almost blown off during a shootout with police at Vigilance on the East Coast of Demerara just before midday yesterday.
Dwayne Anthony Critchlow, 28, who was fingered in a number of high-profile crimes, had reportedly shot at a passing police patrol in the vicinity of Vigilance North, sparking an exchange of gunfire.

Wanted man Dwayne Critchlow grimaces in pain while clutching his damaged hand.

Kaieteur News understands that the police were responding to reports of heavy gunfire behind the Vigilance Police Station, which even temporarily disrupted proceedings in the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court.
Sources in the area said that Critchlow, who was once an associate of murder accused Tyrone Rowe called ‘Cobra’, had an altercation with another person, resulting in shots being fired.
This resulted in the police responding.
Police spokesman Ivelaw Whittaker told this newspaper that ranks on mobile patrol saw Critchlow, who they know was wanted for threatening a policeman with a gun at Plaisance in May this year, and challenged him.
Whittaker said that Critchlow upon seeing the police, started to run.
In the process he allegedly pulled out a gun with which he fired at the police.
The police returned fire hitting the wanted man on his left arm, just above the wrist.
However, Critchlow still managed to run all the way to the neighbouring village of Friendship, where he stashed himself in a house on Friendship Road.
The police managed to follow a blood trail which led them through the Friendship Cemetery until they finally cornered Critchlow, with his badly damaged hand.
When this newspaper arrived on the scene he was clutching the hand which was dangling from a few fleshy tissues, vociferously proclaiming that he was wrongfully shot.
“Dey shoot me and say I had a gun. Whey de gun deh?” Critchlow cried out.
Police ranks combed the yard where he was apprehended but did not find any weapon.
Critchlow was a prime suspect in the murder of Canadian-based Guyanese Rawle Harding at the Cool Square Hangout Bar in West Ruimveldt. He was also questioned in relation to the murders of two businessmen at Bartica. His name was also called in a robbery/shooting at Plaisance in which two persons lost their lives and an overseas-based Guyanese was injured.
“We know he was involved in some of these things but we did not have enough evidence to convict him,” a police source told this newspaper.
His sister Minerva said that she was at home in Vigilance when a neighbour told her that the police were shooting at her brother.
“When I come out I just see de police dem in all different angle running. Then I get a phone call saying that he (Critchlow) get shot, one shot on his hand and we head down to the scene,” Minerva said.
She said that her brother had left his home a few minutes before the police confronted him.
She admitted that her brother has had many previous brushes with the law.
“His name was called with this Cool Square murder and he do couple months. When they realized that it wasn’t him, he was freed. Now they say he wanted; I don’t know wha’ he wanted for, because if he wanted and living at Vigilance, de police station deh right pon de road, dey supposed to come and collect he,” the wanted man’s sister told this newspaper.
“Honestly, I don’t walk with Dwayne, but I know that dis morning he didn’t do anything,” she added.
Critchlow has been admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation where he is presently under police guard.