Gunmen executed boutique owner and former local cyclist, Devendra Persaud as he sat at the Palm Court Restaurant on Monday night in what appears to be an organised hit.

Close to 15 bullets were pumped into Persaud's body by a masked hitman while another guarded the restaurant's gate.

Tyrone Hamilton of Public Road, Kitty and Michael Singh of Middle Street who were with Persaud at the time sustained injuries during the assault which lasted for nearly three minutes. Hamilton is hospitalised while Singh was treated at the public hospital and sent away.

Up to press time, no one had been detained in connection with the shooting. The Police Public Relations Department said Persaud sustained multiple gunshot injuries to his chest and other parts of his body. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the public hospital.

According to the police, five 9 mm .45 shells and nine warheads were recovered from the scene.

Reports say four men turned up at the Main Street hangout spot in a white Toyota Sprinter car registration number PJJ 1767 a little before 10 pm. Two men remained in the car, another stood guard at the gate, while one went up to Persaud and shot him.

As the man pumped bullets into Persaud, Hamilton was hit. It was during the same time that Singh was grazed by a bullet. Persaud was already on the ground nursing a gunshot wound when Hamilton was shot but the onslaught against him (Persaud) continued. The gunman reportedly stood over him and opened fire at close range.

Persaud, 28, of Alexander Street, Kitty was said to have been drinking in the company of four friends hours before the incident at the same spot.

From his hospital bed yesterday, Hamilton, 23, of Public Road, Kitty told Stabroek News he was not sitting with Persaud at the time of the shooting. He recalls four men were at the table, among them were Singh, popularly known as 'Cambie'.

Hamilton said he was passing Palm Court when he spotted Persaud and the others having a drink. He went in and bought coconut water before going over to exchange greetings.

"I was standing at the table and they were sitting when this man walked up to Dave and started shooting. It was very sudden and while the bullets were flying I was hit," Hamilton said.

The shooter wore a handkerchief over his face and a cap. There was another man similarly outfitted who was standing at the gate, another person recalled, and he suspected that there may have been others outside.

Hamilton said he was close to Persaud since they were both into cycling. However, Hamilton said his being shot was clearly a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Hamilton said he was bleeding profusely after taking two gunshots in his left arm so he went outside. Another friend who was there saw him and transported him to the hospital.

After the shooting, chaos reigned, he said, as other patrons panicked.

An eyewitness at the scene recalled that one of the men at Persaud's table jumped over the fence and escaped after the gunman opened fire on Persaud.

Owner of Palm Court, Brian Yong told Stabroek News yesterday he was not at the restaurant at the time but his workers saw the Toyota Sprinter car pull up with four masked men.

He said he was told that two of the men got out of the car and one entered the bar while the other remained at the gate.

The workers said the shooter opened fire and when Persaud and Hamilton both fell, he kicked the other man away and then shot Persaud ten to 15 times before leaving.

Reports said no one wanted to help Persaud, who was still alive, so Yong's sisters ended up carrying him to a car and taking him to the hospital.

It is understood that Persaud was among a group who often went to the restaurant and he had been drinking there for some time earlier that day.

Yong said it was extremely unfortunate that Palm Court happened to be the location for what appeared to be a well-planned and clinical hit: "It could have happened anywhere," said Yong who took over the restaurant almost a year ago after the previous owner Jad Rahaman closed down.

He said he would close the front gate and place a guard at the entrance, although not armed as he is strongly against any form of guns. The restaurant remained open for business yesterday.

Over a year ago, Persaud opened the boutique, Keenan's World at his Alexander Street residence. The clothing store was closed yesterday and a black flag was draped on the gate. The man's widow was too distraught to speak with the media when Stabroek News visited. Persaud has a three-year-old son.

His mother, Sheila Persaud told this newspaper she received word of the shooting from her daughter in Florida around 11 pm on Monday. The grieving woman said her ill health prevented her from going down to the hospital.

She said Persaud had recently returned from the United States. According to her, he was not in any trouble with anyone so the shooting came as a shock. Persaud is the younger of her two children. Persaud's father, Kenneth Persaud, who passed away a few years ago, was the owner of K P Pharmaceuti-cals.

Five years ago, Devendra Persaud and another man were charged with the October 7, 1999 murder of `Butch' Fraites, a pilot. Persaud was later acquitted.