Left: Joel Romain Right: Kerwin Joseph

Police shot and killed three men who were involved in a murder at Samaroo Village, Arima, during a confrontation in Morvant on Thursday night.

A fourth suspect, 31, of Second Caledonia Road, Morvant, was under police guard at Port-of-Spain General Hospital where he was taken for observation. The dead men have been identified as Joel Romain, 19, a former national junior sprinter, Kerwin “Lal” Joseph, 24, and Akee Caballero, 32. All the victims lived at Second Caledonia Road. Officers of the North Eastern Division Task Force said shortly after 11 pm, they spotted a white B-14 Nissan Sunny, proceeding west along the Eastern Main Road near Morvant Junction.

Investigators said the vehicle fitted the description of the car involved in the murder of Ryan Rivers, 24, who was shot and killed a short distance from his Samaroo Village, Arima, home. That incident occurred shortly after 10 pm. Police said they turned on the strobe lights on their vehicle and using the car’s speaker system called on the driver of the vehicle to pull over. “They just drove through a no-entry sign and sped up Second Caledonia and we gave chase,” one of the officers told the T&T Guardian. Officers said they called for back-up. The suspects, police said, began firing at them in the vicinity of the Church on the Rock. The officers returned fire. Joseph, police said, was the driver of the vehicle. He crashed the car a short distance away. As officers approached the vehicle, they saw a man running away from the scene. He was called upon to stop but continued running with an object in his had. The man was shot once in the leg by officers. He told them he was walking through a track speaking on his cellphone when he heard gun shots. He said he got scared and began to run, even though he heard voices ordering him to stop. He was not an occupant of the vehicle.

The killers were taken to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital where they died while undergoing emergency surgery. A suspect, who was also in the vehicle, but, was not injured, was taken to hospital for observation. Police said he has not spoken since the incident. Officers recovered a 9mm pistol and a .38 revolver. Police said the front of the police vehicle was damaged by a bullet. Akee, investigators said, was one of the country’s best getaway drivers. “He often gave us a run for our money...Lots of times during high-speed chases with him, we lost him. I believe he was one of the best getaway drivers we have ever come across,” one officer said. He was also fingered as one of the men involved in the murder of three people who were shot while liming at the village night club in Arima.