Gunmen armed with assault rifles opened fire on a man in broad daylight meters away from the Besson Street police station on Saturday, killing him and injuring another.
Witnesses say at around 3 pm a car pulled up at the corner of Piccadilly and Besson Streets, two men jumped out with assault rifles, and the car drove off.
They opened fire on a man identified only as “Spooky” who was standing in front of UCW Drag Brothers Mall.
Witnesses say they ran off when the shooting began. A woman told Newsday she threw herself on the ground and began to pray.
Witnesses said they heard dozens of gunshots from two different types of guns. When the shooting was done, one witness said another car picked up the men and drove off, passing near the police station as they escaped.
Initial police reports say the shooting was a reprisal for the killing of a Beetham man earlier on Saturday. The Beetham teenager identified only as “Shaquille” was shot dead at around 11 am near the Beetham Highway.
Newsday asked a man from the area if he was bothered about the shooting taking place near the police station.
He responded, “It just shows that they (gunmen) don’t respect anybody. They just don’t business anymore.” He said he was not concerned about his safety though as the shooting appeared to be a targeted killing.
Another onlooker who was at another booth when the shooting took place compared the incident to COVID. “
You just have to live with it because it happens every day. Just do what you can to protect yourself and run for your life if you have to.”
Another man identified only as “Bingo” was also shot in the mouth. He ran to the police station and officers took him to the hospital.
The injuries and damage to the buildings could have been worse but police sources say one of the shooters’ guns jammed leaving his accomplice to finish the job. Large-caliber shells were found at the scene along with several live rounds.
Newsday understands vendors at the mall intend to meet this week to discuss safety measures and possible plans to relocate to another area.
This is the latest in a line of brazen shootings in the capital city. In the most recent incident on March 16, five people including a police sergeant were shot dead and three people injured in a shooting at the Housing Development Corporation apartment complex at Harpe Place, Observatory Street, Port of Spain.
The victims were liming with a group of people near the entrance when a car drove into the compound and the occupants opened fire.
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