04/08/2025
The shooting death of 23 years old Ronaldo Peters has rocked the nation. We urge the general public to remain calm and give the investigative arm of the GPF time and space to do its work. Let's not jump to premature conclusions. We also call on President Ali to issue a statement and oversee an impartial and thorough investigation into the matter.
The key points to uncover here are:
1. Was Peters indeed wanted for questioning in relation to the r**e of a girl under 16?
2. Did he have any personal grievances with the cop who, wilfully or inadvertently, shot him?
We call on the Crime Chief to release the answer to the first question while investigations into the second question take course.
The fact that the officer who shot Peters has been placed in close arrest says a lot about the GPF's willingness to let the law run its course. In this context, we urge all politically inclined persons to desist from using this tragedy to score cheap political points.
CCTV footage shows Peters fleeing the scene as several officers existed a minibus. One of the officers disappeared behind a wall and shortly after reemerged, dragging Peters with him. The officer said that while attempting to subdue Peters, his gun went off accidentally and wounded him.
In a previous article, we urged all Guyanese to avoid running from the police. Running from the police makes you look dangerous and guilty. This point should be ingrained into the minds of children from the primary level. An officer pursuing a fleeing suspect will instinctively draw and unlock his weapon in preparation for any eventuality. A fleeing suspect can take cover and fire at pursuing officers. From the onset, the pursuing officers have no way of knowing if the suspect is armed.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to the relatives and friends of Ronaldo Peters and we call on the Police Force to conduct a thorough, impartial, and transparent investigation into the circumstances of his death.