Guyanese minibus driver shot dead in the US

Last Updated on Saturday, 19 December 2015, 13:53 by GxMedia

A popular Guyanese minibus driver, Phillip “Stoutie” Amsterdam, has been shot dead in the United States  , according to well-placed sources.

Prior to migrating to the United States (US) several years ago, he lived on Public Road Kitty and South Ruimveldt. Back in the 1990s, he had driven buses such as “Drayman” and “Deportee.”

NJ.com reported that authorities are investigating a fatal early Friday morning shooting that occurred in the 300 block of Madison Avenue.

The victim was pronounced dead Friday after being transported to a hospital for treatment, confirmed Essex County Prosecutor’s Office spokeswoman Katherine Carter.

Additional details of the killing are not currently available, Carter said.

Police sources and neighborhood residents confirmed that the shooting occurred outside of an after-hours social club located near the intersection of Madison Avenue and South 16th Street.

One resident, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, confirmed that the building located near where the victim was discovered is a social club.

Police and other emergency officials could be seen blocking off the scene early Friday morning, the resident said. Whether the victim was a patron of the club is currently unclear.

Attempts to contact the owners of the property that houses the social club were not immediately successful.

The killing is the second in Newark so far this week. Ulysses Murphy, 44, was shot to death Tuesday morning in an incident in the 100 block of Columbia Avenue.

According to police statistics, the Madison Avenue shooting brings the city’s 2015 homicide total to 98.