Man shot dead by police in Linden operation

Mar 23, 2023 News

…one hospitalised, three others captured; two guns, ganja found

Kaieteur News – A man was shot dead by police, another has been seriously wounded and is hiospitalised and three others have been captured during a police operation in Wisroc, Linden on Wednesday.

The guns, ammunition and marijuana recovered from the scene

Dead is Randy Ronald Jerome, a 33-year-old resident of One Mile Wismar, Linden. While Ronaldo Chapman, called ‘Paki’, a 23-year-old of 73 Half Mile Wismar, Linden, who was wanted for robbery under arms and rape, is receiving medical treatment at the hospital, police said.

Dead: Randy Ronald Jerome

According to a police press statement, at about 11:30hrs Wednesday officers and ranks of Regional Division #10 conducted an intense operation at Phase Three Wisroc in Wismar, Linden, during which two firearms were recovered from armed suspects and 458 grams of suspected marijuana were found in a house in which they were hiding.

Police said they were at the time acting on information received that Ronaldo Chapman called ‘Paki’ and other male suspects who are wanted for robbery, rape, and serious offences, were hiding out at a house in Phase Three, Wisroc.

According to the police on arrival at the house, the ranks observed three men sitting on the verandah. “When they saw the police in front of the house, one of the men (later identified as Randy Ronald Jerome, age 33 years, of One Mile Wismar) whipped out a firearm from his waist, pointed it at the ranks and discharged rounds at them,” the police statement read.  It added, “The Police ranks took cover and observed Randy jump from the verandah and begin running in a northern direction whilst continuing to discharge rounds at Police in a bid to escape.”

Injured: Ronaldo Chapman, called ‘Paki’

Police said detectives pursued him while returning fire, during which Jerome was shot during the armed confrontation, and a suspected black .40 Berretta Pistol containing three live rounds of ammunition were retrieved from him. Randy Jerome was examined, and it was observed that he received a suspected gunshot wound to his lower back.

Simultaneously, the police reportedly stated other ranks on the operation proceeded to the house where Ronaldo Chapman was seen at the doorway pointing a suspected firearm at a rank who discharged a round in his direction, hitting him to the lower right thigh, which caused him to drop to the ground. The rank then retrieved the suspected firearm, which was examined and observed same to be a JA 9mm Pistol containing six live 9mm ammunition in the magazine and one in the breach. Police said ranks conducted further searches in the house where one black plastic bag containing 75 transparent ziploc bags with suspected cannabis and a portion of leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be Cannabis Sativa were discovered in a bag on a sofa in the house.

Jerome and Chapman were both escorted to the Linden Hospital Complex, where they were seen and treated by the doctor on duty.  Jerome succumbed while receiving medical attention. His body is presently awaiting a post-mortem examination, the police statement noted. Chapman remains a patient up to press time and under police guard at the said medical institution. His condition is regarded as stable.  Meanwhile, ranks conducted searches in the area and recovered five suspected 9mm empty casings. The suspected marijuana was weighed and amounted to 458 grams.

• Dead, Linden, Randy Ronald Jerome, Ronaldo Chapman, Wisroc