The gunmen stormed into the Sukhra's yard just after
midnight and demanded the family let them in. Taking the
front stairway, they made their way to the door and
attempted to get in. Sukhra said he alerted his family and
they tried to get out of harm's way.
He told the children and his wife to go into the master
bedroom and lie flat on the ground. However, his son Ryan
went to check whether the front door was secured and
received a bullet in his left hand, tearing away the
flesh.
Then the gunmen opened fire on the house in an attempt
to get in but were unsuccessful so they went downstairs.
Sukhra assumed the men were heading for the back door but
seconds later he heard rapid gunfire coming from under the
house. He said Christine was lying next to him and his
wife, while his two sons, his nephew and a niece were
under the bed.
Suddenly Christine sprang up and looked out of the
window to get a glimpse of what was happening. Sukhra said
everything happened so fast that he was not certain what
the child was going to do. But before he could stop her,
she was shot in the head. The bandits left in a hurry when
Sukhra raised an alarm that the child was hurt. The girl
and her injured brother were rushed to the Georgetown
Public Hospital where she later died. The son underwent
surgery and was admitted.
Sukhra took Stabroek News inside the bedroom where he
had been lying with the family. Blood and bullet holes
were everywhere; on the carpet, the floor, the wall and
the mattress. Bullets also shattered several windows, the
veranda glass door, the front door and destroyed a
religious altar as well.
New school uniforms for Christine were sitting in the
living room along with her school bag, shoes, books and
other items. A new bicycle that was purchased only a few
days ago was also in the house. Sukhra's wife was too
distraught to speak and he said the family could no longer
stay in the house where Christine was killed. He described
the girl as bubbly and pointed out that she always found
the time to mix with neighbours. According to him, her
policy was that people should live as one.
Coldingen itself is made up of all races and yesterday
they all voiced outrage at Christine's death and demanded
the police do something.
Sukhra told Stabroek News that since he had moved to
the village there had been a few incidents but no one was
ever injured.
Just after they left the Sukhra's home, the gunmen
stopped a few yards away at another home. The man said he
was awake when the men paid him a visit.
After calling out to him and shouting, "Inside,
inside, open is phantom," the gunmen discharged a
couple of rounds. The man said he went into a bedroom and
remained there. The bandits started removing his louvre
panes and kept calling out. Then he heard several other
shots.
The man said this enraged one gang member who appeared
to be the leader and then he heard, "No
shooting". An argument then erupted between the
gunmen over who was shooting carelessly. According to the
man, the bandits started quarrelling among themselves over
who shot the girl back at the front house. After realising
that they were getting nowhere with him the men moved on
to his neighbours.
The neighbours, who also chose not to be named, said
the bandits fired at their house then kicked down the
door. One woman, home with her husband and 4-year-old
daughter, said she saw five armed men who all wore masks.
The men demanded money and she handed over everything they
had along with jewellery. The police said the cash
amounted to $17,000. This seemed not to be enough for the
bandits and they grabbed the woman's daughter demanding
more.
She said all they had was food and she handed that over
as well. The gunmen packed a bag and left for the house
next door where five children were home alone. They were
Claudia Dick, Cindy Fung, Carlton Clarke, Afezza Clarke
and a baby. The children's mother, Sherryann Fung was away
at the time and returned only after the men were gone.
The gunmen managed to kick open the door and barged in
on the children who awoke and found the men in their
doorway. The eldest, Claudia related that she had no clue
what to do but quickly grabbed her younger siblings. Then
the baby started crying and before long the other children
were crying. Terrified with fright and calling for their
mother, the three younger ones got 'loose bowels'.
Unable to get anything from the home, the gunmen left
and stopped at the next house. It was the home of the head
of the community vigilante group and his children. The man
said the men went in on him and asked for money among
other things. But he was not in a position to give
anything and the men left. Before leaving the area, the
bandits visited several other homes but instead of going
in they tapped on the doors and went away.
Sherryan Fung, who returned to find her children
traumatised, told Stabroek News she has had enough of
Coldingen. According to her, gunmen have made the area a
target and there is no security for residents. She paid a
good sum for the land she now occupies and pointed out the
recent upsurge
in crime was not part of the deal.
She said her children could have died if the men were
feeling `trigger-happy'. Fung said her husband drives a
taxi but has given up on the job due to constant attacks.
The woman started packing during the interview.
Another resident said electricity has been an issue for
some time now. He said the government had promised it but
has not delivered to this day. Echoing the sentiments of
other residents, she said they are at the mercy of bandits
who can easily move around undetected.
The same resident said he had advised the police on how
to find the bandits by entering from a back entrance.
However, the police went through the front, at which time
the bandits made good their escape. The man said the
bandits were in the area for at least 30 minutes.
Police Public Relations Officer, John Sauers said he is
not aware of any such instance where the police were
advised where to go. He said that the police responded
after receiving a call and went into the area without
delay.
