Break out the bar..>Fineman, Skinny confirmed dead

Police are confirming that Guyana's number one wanted criminal, Rondell 'Fineman' Rawlins and Lieutenant Jermaine 'Skinny' Charles have been killed in a shootout with police at Kuru Kururu sometime about 5:30 a.m.

A third man who was also killed by the security forces has been confirmed as Shawn Grant.

A throng of security officials have swooped on the area, and from what our sources are saying...Several reporters have converged too.

After the balderdash start to Carifesta, this bit of news will give Guyanese something to smile about and celebrate at the closing of Carifesta.

Bharrat must be bouncing around State House with he Buckta.

2:30 p.m update: More information on the ground suggests that the men were about to launch an attack on nearby Camp Groomes and that a Guyana Defence Force (GDF) soldier was attempting to help with the plan. The soldier was shot in the arm during the trade off with servicemen and is in custody assisting with investigations.

3:00 p.m update: Joint Service sources now say that they were "Right on the ball when they issued the first photo of Fineman"Since he looked identical this morning when he was shot. Same deadlocked hair and facial features. The only difference is that when we jump he, he had no answer. Even his face got hit. Now he can't see because he eye got blown out." the Joint services source also confirmed that they recieved a tip from a very close person to the gang. (Photo of Fineman before shooting below).

4:00 p.m. update: Joint Services sources are saying that that "Fineman" and "Skinny" were confronted by a special squad formed with the consent of Bharrat Jagdeo and named after a poisonous serpent. However, another source said that it was not the Jagdeo formed gang, but the army who was responsible for the killing of the men.

4:30 p.m. update: Report from Dorian from around Georgetown.

Speculations are rife in the absence of an official police report about the shooting and as such media houses have scrambled together pieces of information for breaking news purposes. However, news have begun to spread to the masses and the shooting is hot topic around the South bus park. At the Linden bus park, drivers and conductors are rehashing the heavy presence of police and soldiers on the highway. More speculation as one bus driver said he understood the security forces had gone to Linden. A few people upon arriving on the Linden park said they were seeking alternative accommodations in the city until things have returned to normalcy.

5:00 p.m. Finally! The Joint services officials are planning to host a press conference at 5:30 p.m. (12 hours after the incident) to inform and apprise the nation of their operations earlier today. The press briefing will take place at the Commissioner's Office, Police Headquarters. NCN is making plans to carry a live feed on VOG.

5:30 p.m. The online media sparks Stabroek News


6:00 p.m. Skinny's arm was dismembered...According to join services officials, the men were pumped with bullets. N.B Police presser was off to a late start.

6:30 p.m. Recovering from the gruesome photos of the two men blasted across the airwaves by NCN.


8:30 p.m. Official police report on the shooting incident:

Acting upon information received about 05:45 h. today Thursday August 28, 2008 two teams of J.S.C.C ranks along with members of the Special Forces proceeded to an area in Timehri about 500m east of the Ammo Dump, when they came under fire from an identifiable house. Corporal Cush of the GDF was shot in his right hand. The ranks returned fire having seen three (3) men running from the house. The men ran into some nearby bushes. On descending upon the scene they found the body of a male African lying on the ground. He was picked up and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Corporal Cush was taken to the Medical Centre at Camp Stephenson and subsequently transferred to Camp Ayanganna . In the interim the ranks continued to search for the other men.

Consequently about 12:45 h. the J.S.O.G team while pursuing these men came under fire from a small unfinished concrete structure which appeared to be an old shop in the Kuru Kururu area. There was an exchange of gunfire and two (2) male Africans were shot in the exchange. They were taken to the Mortuary where they were pronounced dead on arrival. A search of the structure revealed two (2) AK 47 rifles and two hundred and fifteen (215) 7.62x39 rounds contained in seven (7) magazines. The scene was visited by Crime Scene ranks of CID Headquarters, Eve Leary. The two (2) male Africans were identified by two (2) Prison Officers as wanted men Rondel Rawlins c/d “Fineman” and Jermaine Charles c/d “Skinny”.

9:00 p.m. Police are reporting that the fingerprints of both Jermaine Charles ‘Skinny’ and Rondel Rawlins ‘Fineman’ were taken and checked against existing records at the Criminal Investigations Department and they matched.

(This should help ease some of the public speculations that lingers).

9:20 p.m. Reports suggest that a pale looking (maybe sick) Bharrat Jagdeo made his first public appearance following today's shooting of two of the nation's notorious criminals- 'Fineman' and 'Skinny'. The President arrived extremely late for a CARIFESTA event at the National Park this evening. He briefly commented on the shooting by saying that Guyana had won. Some other utterances were made, but we cannot confirm at this time.