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- Two injured
By Jenelle Carter and Kristen Macklingam
Just around mid-morning yesterday a man went berserk at Howes and Russell Streets in Charlestown, chopping four persons, in a savage attack which left two dead and two injured, and a community reeling.
Dead: Ann Cham-A-Koon
Those killed have been identified as 38-year-old Ann Cham-a-Koon of 60 Russell Street and 75-year-old Cedric Blackman of 57 Russell and Howes Streets. The two injured persons are Radesh Persaud, 41, of 66 Russell Street and Shawn De Souza, also 41, of 58 Howes Street.
The suspect was referred to by residents as ‘Brother Lyte’ or ‘Booy’, who according to the police is a 42-year-old, of Stevedore Squatting Area, Georgetown.
Up to press time yesterday De Souza and Persaud were being treated at the Georgetown Public Hospital. Persaud managed to escape with only a chop to the head, while De Souza was chopped to the shoulder and neck. According to reports, when De Souza arrived at the hospital he was sent for emergency surgery.
Kaieteur News understands that the incident started at Cedric Blackman’s residence.
According to a close relative of Cedric Blackman, the assailant was a ‘family-friend’ of the Blackmans whose house he would frequent and have meals. He was a carpenter and also did odd jobs around the community. The relative told Kaieteur News that around 07:00 hours yesterday, a neighbour indicated to him “yall got to watch Booy because he trip”.
The man who asked not to be named said he was in the kitchen preparing his daughter for school when he noticed something odd about ‘Booy’ so he told Mr. Blackman to keep a close eye on him.
“I tell Cedric yuh got to watch da boy because like he trip, I hear he saying ‘today is a murder day, Selassie tell me clean up de place but you alrite’,” the man related.
Dead: Cedric Blackman
According to Blackman’s relative, shortly after he noticed the soon-to-be attacker sitting in the living room next to his young daughter.
“Right away I go and move me daughter… rush she out de house fuh school, and I come back and deh in de kitchen”
The man, once he was back in the house, said he locked the front door but soon after he heard “Booy’ calling for Cedric Blackman.
“I tell dis man don’t open de door and he still open de front door…Mr. Blackman just sit down in the chair by de door and de next thing I hear is Mr. Blackman saying ‘Booy’ is wha happen to yo?’”
Blackman’s relative said not long after he noticed a cutlass waving back and forth in the front door.
“I see this cutlass flying in and out and I see blood spraying…den Aunty come and holla ‘Booy’ is wha you do Cedric?..But ‘Booy’ aint do Aunty nothing,”
According to the man, the out-of-control man then turned his attention on him forcing him to flee the house.
After carrying out the attack on Blackman, Persaud was the second person that the man sought to inflict his wrath upon.
“After dis man chop Cedric all over den he run out on de road and same time da Indian man (Radesh Persaud) de passing and he fire a chop pon he and it barely catch de man because he run in a yard,”.
Kaieteur News understands that Persaud ran into Sean De Souza’s yard for safety with “Brother Lyte’ in hot pursuit. De Souza was also attacked on the road.
The eyewitness recalled that Lyte then turned his murderous passion upon a woman (Ann Cham-a-Koon), chopping away at her until she fell on the street.
This newspaper was told that it was shortly after this that police arrived on the scene, and the man was seen calmly walking along Howes Street with the cutlass in his hand.
“When de police pull up dem say hands up and de man just drop de cutlass and go down on de road and de police collect he and put he in de vehicle”.
The suspect is currently in custody assisting with investigations.
One of the injured, Radesh Persaud, awaiting treatment at GPHC.
When Kaieteur News visited the home of Ann Cham-A-Koon, her family members were understandably at a loss for words. Her daughter, 19-year-old Rabia Shakoor explained that her mother was at home when the news came that “Radesh (Persaud) just get chopped up”.
Cham-A-Koon’s aunt said that she warned her niece not to go. “I told her, Ann do not go…Do not leave and go there”. The elderly woman opined that if her niece had heeded her warning, she would have still been alive.
Cham-A-Koon is survived by two daughters, Rabia Shakoor and eight-month-old Su-Lin Wallace.
Over at Cedric Blackman’s home, relatives who converged in proximity had to be consoled by each other as they confirmed the news of his demise. They were obviously prevented from entering the house which was completely blood soaked. Moments later ranks from the Criminal Investigation Department were seen entering the house.
Neighbours were seen applying Limacol to one of Blackman’s grand-daughters who appeared to be slipping in and out of consciousness.
Meanwhile, persons in the area said they were of the opinion that the man carefully planned his attack since he was seen sharpening his cutlass a few days before.
“Dis man know exactly wha he do, because about two days ago he deh sharpening he cutlass…and when he done chop dem people he go and wash off he cutlass,” one resident related.
Another resident recalled that the man was even overheard saying that he had to “cleanse the earth of its demons”, after which he walked away in the direction of Blackman’s house.
However no one took the man seriously since he would normally trouble people but never showed signs that he would harm anyone.
“Only yesterday dis man pull out he private part and show Ann but ah tell she just ignore he, he does just deh about de place,”.
Also in the chaos and confusion a woman turned up on the scene openly and loudly stating that she is “Brother Lyte daughter”.
“Me father aint no killer I am his daughter me father don’t kill,” the woman stated.
Cedric Blackman's relatives react after learning of his demise
This sent a section of the crowd charging at the woman who went on to state
“His name is Gary Williams. He is 53 years old! I am Gary Williams daughter and my father don’t kill!” An angry resident who from all indications couldn’t take the woman’s ranting about her father became involved in a heated argument which almost escalated into a fight. However the melee was interrupted by police ranks that were present.
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