Journalist and one-time PNCR candidate, Ronald Waddell was executed in front of his Subryanville residence around 8 pm yesterday by gunmen who ambushed him shortly after he had finished exercising in the park.

There was high drama in front of the Lot 2 Sea Glimpse, Subryanville house where the former talk show host lived, which overlooks the Atlantic Ocean and at the Georgetown Hospital where he was taken. Several PNCR parliamentarians and party supporters converged at the scene later on.

He was taken from the white Toyota Corona, PFF 6636, which he had been driving, by police who were on a patrol on the Rupert Craig Highway and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital. He died before receiving any treatment.

A security guard in the area said it was around 8 pm, when he heard rapid gunfire coming from the public road. The man said he looked out from where he was standing and saw two men standing in front of Waddell's yard pumping bullets into his car. Another man told this newspaper that he saw when Waddell turned into the driveway and stopped the car. He was about to get out to open his gate, when a dark-coloured car carrying two gunmen pulled up. The gunmen quickly exited the vehicle stood on the road and unleashed a fusillade of bullets into Waddell's vehicle. From all indications the men first shot the car's tyres rendering it incapable, before unleashing a barrage of bullets at Waddell. Some of the bullets drilled holes into the fence of the yard.

Sources at the hospital said Waddell was hit some 13 times. Three bullets made gaping holes on his back. His face was also badly disfigured and shots also connected to his head. There were also wounds just below his right rib cage and on his legs.

The gunmen then ran back to their car and headed east along the Rupert Craig Highway. According to the guard a police car was on patrol and later pulled up at the scene and escorted Waddell to the hospital. It is not clear whether the police were informed of the shooting and responded or just happened to be passing at the time.

When Stabroek News visited the scene a small crowded had converged. Police cordoned off the area, cutting off traffic on the southern section of the highway from Sheriff Street. A close look at Waddell's car revealed that most of the bullets entered through the driver's side and exited through the other side. There were also bullet holes in the roof of the car.

Police spent several hours at the scene combing for evidence, but did not find any spent shells, save for a few warheads. A police officer said the gunmen might have likely used a device to catch the shells, thus preventing police from tracing the weapons used. However, the officer said there was still a chance of them finding spent shells in the car. On the driver's seat was what looked like a driver's licence; this was soaked in blood. The white Toyota was later towed by police to Police Headquarters Eve Leary. Up to late last night ranks were guarding the scene.

Meanwhile, Senior Superintendent of Police, Leroy Brummel who is also Commander of 'C' Division told reporters that following the shooting, police on a mobile patrol on the railway embankment spotted a dark coloured car, HB 2561 with the logo 'Highgrade' on the windscreen in the vicinity of Turkeyen. Ranks challenged the occupants of the car who sped away through a street at Ogle ECD. Reports reaching this newspaper state that the police and the men were involved in a long chase which led them through a cross street on the Ogle airstrip road.

The police vehicle toppled in a drain, but ranks still manage to intercept the car and arrested its occupants. Brummel said a search was conducted and three handguns and ammunition were found in the car. Up to press time, the four men were at the Sparendaam Police Station lock-ups. Brummel said he did not know if there was any connection between Waddell's killing and the men in the car. He said he recognized one of the suspects who was a former policeman.

There was several persons liming on the seawalls in the vicinity of Sheriff Street at the time of the shooting, but no one said anything when approached. It is not clear whether any relative of Waddell was home at the time of the shooting. His wife, Bonita Harris was in Berbice at the time of the shooting.

One his daughters was later seen at the house, but she declined to comment to the media. No one from the PNCR offered any comments also on the shooting, saying that the party would make a collective statement today. Reporters were prevented from entering the yard.

Waddell was recently taken off air for controversial remarks he made on his TV programme Taking Care of Business on HBTV Channel 9. It was alleged that Wadell spoke in support of gunmen in Buxton, a group he was on numerous occasions linked to. He also had several run-ins with the law, once for his alleged participation in the storming of the Office of the President in July 2003 and also for allegedly stealing a bucket from the Guyoil Company on Regent Street during a street protest in the city. The law graduate of the University of Guyana had often raised his voice in support of African Guyanese. He is also survived by several children, some of whom reside overseas.

Tuesday, January 31st 2006