‘BLACKIE’ KILLED BEFORE REVEALING SECRET.

Stabroek News
February 14, 2000

Linden London, the man for whom the police say they were hunting since 1989 was cornered in a guest house at Eccles East Bank Demerara, and after 12 hours of withstanding withering hail of fire, he died even as he trusted Captain Wycliffe McAllister, the man who trained him as a soldier. The gunfight that claimed his life was the biggest in the history of the country, surpassing the manhunt for a man who was deemed to be equally notorious, Clement Cuffy, in 1958. When it was over, the police and army had discharged no less that 20,000 rounds of ammunition and four armour-piercing grenades from a launcher.

In turn, London must have fired no less that 200 rounds, hitting soldier Lawrence Harvey in the eye and wounding Police Constable Sherwin Smith in the arm. London came to fame or infamy after a spate of robberies in the country and before long, he was one of the most wanted. He became even more infamous when one mid-morning, he descended on the area of Georgetown called Wall Street, because of the financial transactions that go on there, and executed one of the most daring robberies.

A policeman was shot (he lost his finger) and one of the men said to be among those who conducted the robbery -- Rusty Madhoo -- was found near dead in the cane fields aback of Providence, East Bank Demerara. He subsequently died in a hail of police bullets.The police came out in their numbers to surround the cane fields. They even sought the assistance of the Guyana Defence Force, arguing that London, called Blackie, was in the cane field.

By daybreak the next day, it had become clear that they were not going to catch London. Then came a $13 million robbery at the National Insurance Scheme. One eyewitness reported that one of those executing the robbery had proclaimed that he was Blackie.

Immediately, the police announced that London was a suspect. By this time, a million dollar reward was being offered for information leading to London's capture. He had become public enemy Number One, and one of the most talked about bandits in recent times. But even as the police were linking him to the NIS robbery, London sent word that he had not done the robbery at the NIS. On Monday, he checked into Toucan Suites, an apartment complex at Eccles under the name Paul Jones, with three suitcases.

On Tuesday, he was spotted and the information passed on to the police. Night came and the police raided the apartment complex. Assistant Commissioner of Police Henry Greene, later told the press that it was by sheer luck that they went to the right apartment on the first check.

Greene said that they were greeted by a hail of gunfire and grenades, hurled by London.

A woman, later identified as Rhonda Forde, of Non Pariel Street, Albouystown, was immediately killed. She was shot by both the police and London.

The police argued that one hour after the standoff, the door to the apartment opened and London kicked the woman out ofthe building. But this version has been disputed by people on the scene who contend that London and the woman wer leaving the apartment when they were surprised.

The police shot first, hitting the woman because London had reacted a split second earlier. They say that London also shot Rhonda Forde when he attempted to return fire. From that moment, it was a rain of bullets.

The police could not enter the building which was constructed of solid cast concrete, and had grilles set into the wall. There was only one exit. London was trapped. Owner of the building, Norman Trotz, was to remark that London was in a cell from which he could not break out.

Police Commissioner Laurie Lewis, at a press conference, said that London had tremendous resources and was holed up in a fortress.

For London, his hunters and the press, Tuesday February 8, 2000, was a very long day.

London could not sleep because there was always the threat that the police and army would breach his defences.

He also had to keep track of the voices coming from every direction, seeking to judge which set of voices posed the greatest threat.

He also had to cope with the threat of fire because his attackers had made numerous attempts to set the building on fire. To remain in that building for as long as he did, and not crack under the strain had to take nerves of steel.

Amidst gunfire, the voice of Superintendent Leon Fraser could be heard saying to London, "Blackie boy, you sounding good", commenting on the gunfire being returned by London, or "Blackie, like the NIS money done".

Blackie could be heard replying in kind to Fraser.

In addition, he had to cope with flying bullets ricocheting off the walls, the almost incessant sound of gunfire and later, the sound of exploding grenades.

When the army succeeded in blasting the door leading to the suite and they rushed in, he shot Lawrence Harvey. The others retreated.

The time was 3:20 am on Wednesday February 9, and the standoff had been going on for just over seven hours.

One of the soldiers who had barged into the suite following the blasting of the door then conveyed the information that more than one person was in the apartment. He had been fooled by the different sounds coming from the weapons used by London. However, after breaching the door, the attackers still had to get into the kitchen section or the bedroom --an equally formidable task.

Shortly after 5 o' clock that morning, the army moved in a rocket propelled grenade launcher and it was all over bar the shouting.

The first rocket propelled grenade was launched at sunrise. And then the fire took hold.

The building was really burning.

By this time, Captan Wycliffe McAllister had moved to the frontline.

He had been on the ground all night.

He began speaking to the man inside the building.

His voice brought an instant response from London. "Mac buddy. Is you? Stand up leh me see you."

McAllister complied.

"Blackie, is how many of you in there?" he queried."

Is only me," came the reply.

"Blackie, you sure,"

"Mac, I ever lie to you?"

Then came the negotiations.

McAllister eventually got London to agree to throw out his weapons and to come out.

But 20 minutes had to elapse and the fire was raging even more.

Blackie London wanted a guarantee that McAllister would not allow the people outside to shoot him.

On at least 30 occasions London repeated, "Don't leh dem shoot me."

McAllister gave his word.

By this time, both McAllister and another army officer, Warde could see London crawling toward them. London asked for the reassurance and Warde promptly informed him, "Blackie, I can see you.

If I wanted I could take you out now". "Blackie. The building is burning bad. Come out now or you ain't gun make it" to which London said, "Okay, ah coming out".

Then Blackie continued to talk to McAllister. "Ah gat a lot of things to talk about. I gun even talk about how I get into this".

McAllister then suggested that he talk from where he was inside the building but London said, "I will talk when I come outside".

At one point, McAllister wanted to go inside the building to bring out the man he had trained, the man who had been known to challenge authority but he was dissuaded by a colleague.

It must have been the fire from the burning building that caused McAllister to move back some 12 metres, widening the gap between himself and London.

London came out with his hands on top his head. He was unarmed.

McAllister could be heard to say, "Hold our fire. Don't shoot." But suddenly, gunfire rang out and London was going to his maker.

The police had opened fire. His bullet riddled body was then picked up, but dropped quickly when more gunfire came from inside the building.

It turned out that live ammunition was going off. The police did not know this, so they returned the fire.What did London have to talk about? The nation will never know.

Five hours later, Deputy Police Commissioner Floyd McDonald told the press, "We would have liked to take him alive, but by his actions we had no choice".Courtesy of the