HGP Nightly News – Questions are mounting over the death of 16-year-old Aftaz King after eyewitnesses offered an account that sharply contradicts the Guyana Police Force’s version of the events that ended with the teenager’s death and triggered fiery protests across Corentyne on Thursday evening.
While police maintain that the teenager crashed while attempting to evade a patrol, eyewitnesses allege the fatal collision occurred during an active police pursuit, claiming the police vehicle forced the motorcycle off the roadway moments before impact.
According to the Guyana Police Force, King was riding motorcycle CL 5607 along the Princeton Access Road at about 6:45 p.m. when he allegedly tried to escape from a police patrol. The Force said he lost control of the motorcycle and crashed into a utility pole. He was rushed to the No. 75 Regional Public Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Eyewitnesses, however, paint a different picture.
One witness alleged that King was travelling along a narrow street, not speeding, when police began chasing him. The witness claimed the patrol vehicle was travelling at a high speed and forced the teenager toward the edge of the roadway, causing him to lose control before crashing into a roadside post.
Those allegations have not been addressed publicly by the Guyana Police Force.
News of the teenager’s death quickly spread through the community, prompting angry residents to block sections of the roadway and set debris ablaze as they demanded answers about the circumstances surrounding the fatal incident.
Amid the growing public outrage, the Guyana Police Force announced that its Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) has launched an investigation into the matter.
According to the Force, investigators will examine all aspects of the incident to determine whether any criminal or disciplinary culpability exists on the part of the officers involved.
The police also assured the teenager’s family and the wider public that appropriate action will be taken if the investigation uncovers any wrongdoing.
With two conflicting versions of the events now before the public, the findings of the OPR investigation are expected to play a key role in determining exactly what happened during the final moments leading to Aftaz King’s death.
