Gunmen have killed a 9-year-old girl in a foiled robbery attempt at Coldingen; the latest atrocity in a crime wave that won't go away.

The girl, Christine Sukhra is the first child to have fallen victim to bandits since the crime wave began in 2002. In a style reminiscent of numerous violent robberies, between five to seven masked gunmen, brandishing automatic rifles swooped down on five families in the village just after midnight.

 

The brutal attack has sparked outrage in the community and also raised questions of security among residents who have been complaining about the lack of electricity in the area for some time.

 

The police said in a release yesterday that seven .762x39 shells and four 12-gauge cartridges were retrieved from the scene. Up to press time no one had been detained but investigations are continuing.

A police patrol has been dispatched to the area at the request of Rajpaul Sukhra who lost his daughter. One resident who obviously had enough was also packing to leave the area without delay.

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.