Suspected Linden bandit dies after `shootout’ with police, another injured
A suspected Linden bandit died and another was injured after a “shootout” with the police in the mining town of Linden yesterday.
The dead man had been identified as Randy Ronald Jerome, 33, of One Mile, Wismar and the injured man has been identified as Ronaldo Chapman.
According to a police report on the incident, ranks acted on the information that several high profile criminals were hiding out in a house in Phase Three Wisroc in Wismar, Linden.
Going with the information that the men could be armed, police ranks around 11:30 am confronted the men in the house.
On approaching the house, the ranks observed three men sitting on the verandah. Observing they were being approached by ranks, Jerome, as explained by the police force, whipped out a firearm from his waist, pointed it at the ranks and discharged rounds in their direction.
Ranks later took cover and
observed Jerome jumping from the verandah and running in a northern direction whilst continuing to discharge rounds at Police in a bid to escape.
He was pursued and in the process shots were exchanged. Jerome was shot in the lower back, and later fell to the ground. A black .40 Berretta Pistol containing three live rounds of 9mm ammunition was retrieved from him, the police said.
Simultaneously, other ranks on the operation proceeded to the house where Chapman was seen at the doorway pointing a suspected firearm. He was also shot in the lower right thigh, which caused him to drop to the ground.
A rank then retrieved the suspected firearm which he examined and observed to be a 9mm pistol containing six live rounds of 9mm ammunition in the magazine and one in the breech.
The third suspect was not found. A search of the premises unearthed some 458 grammes of marijuana.
Both injured men were taken to the Linden Hospital where Jerome succumbed to his injuries and Chapman remains a patient under heavy guard.
The police say that the men were being sought in relation to robbery, rape and other serious offences.