Guyana: Investigation Launched After Shooting Incident Involving 19-Year-Old in Sophia

The Police Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) has initiated an investigation following the shooting of a 19-year-old labourer from Block ‘E’ Sophia by police officers on Thursday morning. The Guyana Police Force (GPF) asserts that the teenager was fleeing from a mobile patrol unit related to an armed robbery investigation, a claim that the youth’s family disputes, alleging mistaken identity and excessive force.

According to the police report, officers on patrol received a dispatch about a suspect matching the teenager’s description wanted for a recent robbery. Police stated that they observed the young man riding a motorcycle and began a pursuit. Upon reaching his home, the rider reportedly abandoned the motorcycle and ran into his yard. During this encounter, a police officer discharged a firearm, striking the teenager, identified as Jukeem Scipio, in the abdomen. He was subsequently taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), where he is currently in stable condition under guard.

Scipio’s family has provided a different account of the incident. His mother stated that the bullet passed through her son’s abdomen and is dangerously close to his spine. She alleged that after the shooting, police officers intimidated her son while he was on the ground. She claimed, “After my son was already shot and bleeding, the officers pointed a gun at his head.” The family also mentioned that investigators later acknowledged the possibility of mistaken identity.

The OPR has taken full jurisdiction over the case due to the injury resulting from the discharge of a service firearm in a private residence. All officers involved are under monitoring while their service logs are reviewed. Investigators plan to conduct interviews with police and civilian witnesses to assess whether standard operating procedures regarding the use of lethal force were followed.

Source: hgptv.com

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