A 47-year-old Chinese gold miner was shot dead in a pickup truck during a robbery near Afobakaweg in Suriname on Friday morning.
Police in Brokopondo received a report of a robbery in Billing Basi at around 10:30 a.m. and went to the scene to investigate. Upon his arrival, law enforcement officers found the body of W.S., which no longer showed any signs of life.
Two other victims with minor injuries had already been taken to the emergency department of Paramaribo University Hospital for medical treatment before police arrived.
The initial investigation conducted by the police showed that two cars were driving on Avobakaweg Road in the direction of Billing Basi. When the two vehicles were about one kilometer away from the road, the other car, which was carrying two masked men, chased the first car.
At some point, shots were fired at the victims' vehicle, a pickup truck. The WS driver was hit in the head with serious consequences. The other two passengers suffered minor injuries.
It is not yet clear who committed the robbery, but the perpetrators escaped with an unknown amount of raw gold.
Shell casings of different shapes and calibres were found at the scene, and were seized by the police. Bullet marks can be seen on the entire right side of the truck where the victims were sitting.
The police recovered the body of W.S. To conduct an autopsy on behalf of the Public Prosecution Office in Suriname. The Major Crimes Unit is investigating this case.
