Six arrested, police testing burnt material after “Skinny” reported self-inflicted gunshot wound

Last Updated on Wednesday, 21 January 2026, 23:30 by Writer

Four men and two women have been arrested in Linden, a hidden gun and ammunition found and burnt material suspected of being the remains of a wanted man have been collected for forensic testing, the Guyana Police Force indicated on Wednesday.

The intensified probe followed the social media video broadcast of a man, in the presence of others with guns.

The video shows the man putting the gun to his head and pulling the trigger after which he fell.

“Further searches revealed that a heap of burnt material was observed in close proximity to the wooden structure. As a result, forensic experts have been deployed to the area to conduct further examinations and searches to determine the origin and nature of the material,” police said in a statement.

Before seeing the material, investigators from regional police divisions Three (West Demerara-Essequibo Islands) and Ten (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice) conducted an operation on Tuesday, January 20 between 7 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. at Three Miles, Wisroc, Linden.

Police said the operation is part of a probe into a video circulating on social media involving a wanted man Jamal “Skinny” Bourne for the murder of Akeem Hamer in 2024.

Acting on information, the police teams proceeded to the area where a search was conducted at a wooden structure situated in dense vegetation.

During the search, the lawmen said they found one black and silver Taurus pistol with its serial number filed off  concealed under a mattress, along with six live .32 rounds of ammunition.

Six persons who were present at the location were arrested and escorted to the Mackenzie Police Station, where the firearm and ammunition were lodged.

The six arrested are an 18-year-old male farmer of Yarrowkabra, Soesdyke-Linden Highway, an 18-year-old female of Bell West Housing Scheme, West Bank Demerara, a 20-year-old male labourer of Beaver Street, North Ruimveldt, a 20-year-old man of Kaneville, East Bank Demerara, a 21-year-old woman of Samatta Point, Grove, East Bank Demerara and a 26-year-old male farmer of Church Street, Georgetown.