Bandits aged 15, 22, shot dead

Two bandits — 15-year-old Tyrese Adams of Pineapple Street, East Ruimveldt, and 22-year-old Orwin Garraway of 595 East Ruimveldt Housing Scheme — were shot dead last evening by a security guard during a foiled armed robbery attempt at a Chinese supermarket on Hadfield Street, Georgetown.

Police enquiries indicate that four identifiable males of African descent, armed with handguns, attempted to rob the Jai Jai Supermarket, managed by 31-year-old Gan Zhang, at approximately 19:30 hrs last evening.

The bottom flat of the supermarket consists of two cashier booths (on the eastern and western sides). The supermarket is secured by one armed security guard on a 12-hour basis. According to a police report, at the time of the robbery, a 35-year-old security guard was on duty, armed with a 9mm pistol and 15 rounds of ammunition. Two of the suspects entered the supermarket, both dressed in dark clothing, with black ski masks covering their faces and handguns in their hands.

One of the suspects, police said approached the cashier booth on the eastern side, while the other went to the booth on the western side. One pointed his firearm at the male cashier and demanded money, while the other ransacked the opposite booth.

The armed security guard emerged from inside the supermarket and confronted the bandits, who both attempted to flee. One suspect fell to the ground inside the supermarket, while the other ran out and collapsed on the road approximately 15 feet west of the supermarket.

The security guard reported that as he exited the building, he saw two other suspects who had been standing outside. They ran west along Hadfield Street and escaped. Two blue and black Haojue motorcycles — one without a number plate and the other bearing registration number CP 623 — were found parked in front of the supermarket with the keys in the ignitions.

Emergency medical technicians were summoned to the scene, and both suspects were pronounced dead by Dr Kellman of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

The deceased were later identified as 22-year-old Orwin Garraway and 15-year-old Tyrese Adams. The scene was processed, and one Glock 17 pistol with eight matching rounds of ammunition was found next to one of the bodies.

Police noted that inside the supermarket, police recovered one live 9mm round, thirteen spent 9mm shells, and three fragments. Outside, on the road in front of the supermarket, one spent 9mm shell and three fragments were found.

The bodies were examined and it was observed that Garraway had sustained suspected gunshot wounds to his right and left ribs, hands, nose, and right shoulder. Adams sustained suspected gunshot wounds to his upper right shoulder, stomach, lower back, and left hip. The firearm and spent shells were processed, placed in evidence bags, marked, sealed, and lodged for analysis by the ballistics section.

Several individuals were questioned. CCTV cameras attached to the supermarket were reviewed and footage extracted. Searches for the remaining suspects were conducted but they have not yet been located.

The bodies of Orwin Garraway and Tyrese Adams were taken to the Memorial Gardens Funeral Home, where post-mortem examinations are pending.

Investigations are ongoing.