Bandit killed in shootout

THE BODY of known bandit Desmond “Snake” Mitchell, who was killed by a bullet believed to be from the gun of one of his own accomplices, was discovered yesterday in a New Grant canefield.

Mitchell was left for dead after being shot while fleeing from a house he and two others robbed Wednesday  night. By 7 am yesterday, Mitchell was discovered lying face up in a ditch a few hundred yards behind the victims’ house.  His accomplices escaped with the loot. The deceased was identified by the Ramdial family as one of three armed bandits who stormed their house at Hindustan Road around 11.30 pm Thursday night and robbed them of cash and jewelry. Police said Mitchell had a history of criminal activity and was wanted in connection with several robberies in the area. He had several matters pending at the Princes Town Magistrates’ Court for similar offences and had been previously convicted. His last robbery occurred at the home of taxi driver Bachan Ramdial, 52.

Ramdial and his family were watching televison when they heard a loud banging at the back door and three men armed with a cutlass, a pistol and a shotgun, stormed into the house. The bandits ransacked the house and filled their bags with cash and jewelry. A female family member who began screaming for help was beaten with the flat side of a cutlass. Meanwhile, one of the bandits who went outside to stand guard noticed a neighbour peering into the house. Pointing his gun at the neighbour, the bandit ordered him back inside. Instead the neighbour returned with his 12 gauge shot gun and fired four shots into the air. Alerted by the gunfire, the two other bandits rushed out of the house, returning fire as they escaped over a back wall and ran into a canefield. Police recovered two spent shells from a nine millimetre gun and a 16 gauge shotgun at Ramdial’s home. They believe the nine millimetre bullet struck Mitchell from behind and punctured his heart.

Yesterday Homicide detectives led by Ag Inspector Fitzgerald George, Ag Sgt Rajkumar of  the Tableland Police, and Superintendent Farrel, Insp Terry Khan and Sgt Singh of the Princes Town Police Station, visited the scene. The body was removed to the Forensics Sciences Centre when it was positively identified by the deceased’s mother, Janet Mitchell. The deceased, a father of one, was originally from Brickfield, Brother’s Road. He was living with his sister, Ira, and her husband at Petite Cafe.