Fifteen-year-old Josiah Ramsahai who was killed by police last Friday in a reported shoot-out with police was shot five times with a high-powered rifle his autopsy revealed.
According to forensic pathologist, Dr Valery Alexandrov, the teen was shot once in the leg, twice in the hands and twice in the torso.
Of the five shots only one was fatal, perforating his both lungs and heart. Alexandrov said yesterday that with high-powered rifles there was "lead snow" where the bullets fragments in the body.
He said those fragments sometimes exited the body which caused some to speculate that Ramsahai was shot some 17 times.
According to police reports, shortly before noon on November 18, they responded to a report that a man was seen with a gun in someone's yard off Maingot Road, Tunapuna.
When the officers responded, police said, there was a shoot-out and the teen was shot. He was taken to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex where he died.
Police said they recovered a 9mm pistol at the scene
Ramsahai, who lived at Dookie Trace, Tunapuna, was released on bail from the St Michael's Home for Boys less than a month ago for gun related offences which his relatives swore were "frame cases". Police said Ramsahai was on 13 charges, including possession of a gun, possession of narcotics, rape and larceny. Those offences were allegedly committed this year and last year.
Police officers attached to the Tunapuna Police Station said following the shooting a police issued 9mm Sig Sauer gun fell from an officer and could not be found.
Sources said since then police have been searching for the gun and have urged youths in the area to return the gun. Police also mowed grass in a bushy area last week where Ramsahai was shot in an attempt to find the gun.
Ramsahai's relatives are expected to visit the Police Complaints Authority today as the PCA begins its investigation into the shooting. Relatives said the teen death came after a culmination of death threats made against him by a police officer.
