By Mark DaCosta- A tragic incident unfolded early on Thursday morning, resulting in the death of a sex worker known as Shawn Simon Hooper, also referred to as “Coil Bottle”. The 28-year-old, who was a resident of Grove on the East Bank Demerara, was shot and killed at around 02:00 hrs near the intersection of King Street and South Road.
According to eyewitness accounts, Hooper was engaged in a business transaction with an unidentified man who had arrived in a silver car. Unruly Lilawatti, another sex worker who was present at the scene, shared her account through a Facebook post. She described how Hooper had just received $10,000 from the man, with an additional $1,000 intended for Lilawatti.
As Pretty, another transgender sex worker, walked to a nearby shop, Lilawatti noticed a dark, silver-tinted motor vehicle repeatedly circling the area. This behaviour unsettled her, and she witnessed the car come to a halt as Hooper approached it. Lilawatti reported that the car window then rolled down, followed by a series of gunshots.
In the ensuing panic, Lilawatti fled the scene and encountered Pretty on her return from the shop. She then sought refuge at the Brickdam Police Station to report the incident before returning to the scene. Medical personnel from the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation arrived shortly after but confirmed that Hooper had succumbed to the injuries sustained from the gunshots.
Authorities recovered nine spent 9mm shell casings from the scene, and the body was transported to Memorial Gardens funeral home for a post-mortem examination. Law enforcement officials are reviewing CCTV footage from the area in hopes of identifying the perpetrators and understanding the motive behind this fatal attack.
This incident has highlighted the ongoing dangers faced by sex workers in Guyana, a community often subjected to violence and discrimination. A fellow sex worker spoke anonymously about the frequent threats, robberies, and assaults experienced by those in the profession, lamenting the lack of adequate protection and societal support.
“The constant fear and stigma we face are overwhelming,” the source said. “We are often dismissed by authorities, and our concerns are not taken seriously due to prejudice against our profession.”
The shooting death of Shawn Simon Hooper serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for improved safety measures and greater societal empathy for every individual.