A law enforcement officer from Guyana’s Region 1 (Barima-Waini) has been taken into custody following the emergence of a disturbing video depicting an armed individual threatening lethal violence in Port Kaituma. The Guyana Police Force confirmed Sunday that the officer was placed under close arrest to facilitate an internal investigation into the alarming incident.
The controversial footage, which surfaced on social media platforms, shows a man dressed in civilian clothing brandishing an assault rifle on a public roadway. During the altercation, the individual discharged multiple rounds—including one shot fired while a peacemaker attempted to disarm him, and two additional shots while walking with the weapon. Two women were visible in the video attempting to de-escalate the situation.
Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken has ordered the Office of Professional Responsibility to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident. The law enforcement agency emphasized that the video evidence would form a crucial component of the probe, which will determine appropriate disciplinary and criminal measures.
The police force issued an official statement affirming its commitment to ‘maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and accountability.’ The statement came approximately one hour after Team Mohamed’s Facebook page published the viral video, though police did not explicitly acknowledge the social media post as their source.
The incident has drawn political attention, with the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) political party calling for authorities to investigate what they describe as inadequate supervision of police personnel in Region One. The party’s social media caption accompanying the video demanded thorough investigation into these alleged police infractions.