Plaisance Shooting victim dies, family says Doctor removes life support.

Relatives threaten Doctor- GPHC

Another victim of the deadly Plaisance shootout on Thursday night succumbed to his injuries at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation Hospital on Saturday. Troy Collymore was on Life support after he received gunshot injuries to the head. Relatives of the dead man are alleging that he died after he was taken off life support by a doctor of the institution. At the time, they are claiming his heart was still beating.

According to an eyewitness, a verbal assault was launched on a young female doctor who the relatives said “pulled the plug,” on Collymore. The sister of the man, who was inconsolable, was heard yelling “you kill he,” directed at the Doctor.

According to the eyewitness, the family of Collymore called the doctor ‘a murderer,” and threatened her life. The Police was eventually called in and a female relative was arrested and taken away. A large crowd gathered after the outburst by the relatives and remained until the body of Collymore was taken away by porters from the mortuary.

According to a report from the Public Relations department of the Georgetown Hospital Corporation, on August 7, 2010, Mr. Troy Collymore, succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced clinically dead at 12:00 hrs.

Collymore had sustained three (3) gunshot wounds to the head, with no visible exit wounds, which resulted in him being brain dead. He was experiencing severe respiratory distress and had to be placed on the ventilator. The doctor explained to the relatives that due to the nature and extent of his injuries, he had a very slim chance of survival.
According to the release, during their routine checks, both the Consultant and the attending Medical Officer of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), GPHC found that Collymore had no heart rate after which, he was taken off the ventilator and certified, dead.

“Collymore’s relatives, however, assumed that the doctors took him off of the ventilator and this caused his death. One relative (female) began to abuse the staff, particularly, the doctor. She threatened the doctors, swearing on a bible that within three days, she (doctor) and her family will all die. These threats were also directed at any physician visible to her.” The release stated.

The hospital’s internal security had to be called to escort the irate relative from the ICU, however, her abuse continued and was uncontrollable thus staff was forced to call in the police, who arrived promptly and escorted the relative to the police station.
The hospital release said the doctor was traumatized and had to be escorted home for fear that the relatives would return and follow through on their threats.

It further said that the Hospital management reiterates that the hospital employs very competent and professional staff; moreover, it will not tolerate the abuse of its staff particularly when they are performing their duties.

Meanwhile the hospital said It has noticed that a trend has recently developed whereby when loved-ones die, relatives suddenly become physicians and determine what caused the death. “They refuse to heed the professional’s medical advice and are quick to blame the medical and nursing staff for causing the deaths; with unsubstantiated speculations.”
Collymore was taken to the institution after a robbery turned deadly on the Plaisance Line Top.

Collymore along with Noel Phillips an overseas based Guyanese and Clyde Harris of Plaisance were chatting in front of Datt’s Pharmacy when 4 armed gunmen appeared and demanded cash and jewellery. After securing the booty, the bandits opened fire on the men. Phillips was shot in an upper arm while Harris was shot to the left Shoulder and jaw. Chandrika Datt escaped without injury.
Subsequently Troy “Nelly” Collymore was taken to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC). He was in critical condition.

The thirty year old man’s mother Glory had told Guyana Times that her son would not make it as he was on life support. “Me son wen love meh bad, ow meh god he gun dead I feeling it” she said. According to the weeping woman, doctors related to her that Collymore is rejecting all his medications.
Collymore was known by police as he was previously charged for murder in 2009.

The man’s mother has said that the Collymore was charged for the murder of a US based businessman Ricardo Henriques who was shot to the head and died minutes after in 2008. Collymore was never imprisoned as the case went cold and all charges were dropped some six months after his arrest.

Taken from Guyana Times Aug 15 2010