THE death toll from the wanton slaughter at Bartica on Sunday has risen to 13.
The latest person to die, Errol Thomas, 41, of Tuschen Housing Scheme, East Bank Essequibo, had been air-dashed to the city, together with four more who were also wounded.But he succumbed at Georgetown Public Hospital at 03:50 h yesterday, after arriving at the Accident and Emergency Unit at 03:12 h., suffering a gunshot wound to the head.

He died while receiving medical attention.

Thomas and the other four were also shot during a bloody assault on Bartica Police Station and, subsequently, on civilians in the streets.

Injured as well were policemen Mark Campbell, 29, of One Mile, Wismar, Linden and Chester Benjamin, 28, of Lot 16 Goed Fortuin Housing Scheme, West Bank Demerara; civilians Raymond White, 45, of Half Mile and Godfrey Patternella, 52, of Fifth Avenue, both in Bartica.

Though seriously wounded and suffering varying degrees of injuries, they were all fully conscious and communicating verbally with family members, their employers and others yesterday.

Campbell, who was hit in the left lower rib cage, said he was on duty but managed to conceal himself until the shooting was over.

Benjamin, with wounds on both hands and the right foot, also appeared in stable condition.

Meanwhile, White, a gold miner nursing a wound in the left lower rib cage, told relatives he had been in Bartica earlier in the night and was in a taxi returning home when the gunmen opened fire and he was hit.

Patternella, a father of 14, hit on the upper right leg, is employed with the RK’s National Security Network and manages a small team of employees who watch over a building in which he was when the shooting happened.Shocked at the news of the tragedy, RK’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Roshan Khan and his General Manager, Mr. Colin Boodie, visited Patternella in hospital and sympathized with him and his wife, Shirley, who was there.

Vehemently condemning the dastardly act, Khan referred to the perpetrators as “less than animals.”

“They have lost all sense of consciousness, decency, goodwill and love for humanity,” he declared.

A gang of about 18 gunmen invaded the Bartica Police Station in Region Seven (Cuyuni/Mazaruni), killing three policemen and wounding two others.

The killers also stole arms and ammunition from the station, before driving away in the Police vehicle that was in the compound and shooting indiscriminately at civilians in the streets.

Meanwhile, three more persons injured in the shooting spree were transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital later yesterday for treatment.

They are:

**Jordon Santos Costa, 14 - who was brought to the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Unit with a gunshot wound to the upper right leg. He was admitted to Ward B2.

** Lisa Narine, 15 – of Lot 24 First Avenue, Bartica who was transferred to the A&E Unit about 12:40 h with a gunshot wound to the right knee. She was treated and sent away.

**Melrose Alicock, 61 - who was transferred to the A&E Unit with a gunshot wound to the left instep. He was also treated and sent away.