Two days after escaping a hail of gunfire, ice cream vendor Winston Sammy was shot dead at his home in South Oropouche on Sunday night. Sammy, 53, died in the yard of his home at Hillview Avenue, Dow Village, in a murder that shocked residents who described him as a friendly and generous neighbour.
Sammy and his wife drove to various areas, selling ice cream from their white Nissan Caravan.
A report stated that Sammy and his wife had just returned home from selling around 7 pm. Sammy’s wife entered the house while he unloaded the van.
Meanwhile, a white vehicle drove past his home, turned around and stopped in front of his house. A gunman emerged and called out to Sammy by his name. As Sammy approached the gate, the gunman shot him several times and got back into the vehicle, which drove off.
PC Maxima and PC Rampersad of the South Oropouche Police Station were on patrol and responded to a report of gunshots in the community. When they arrived at Sammy’s home, they found him lying on his back near the front gate with facial injuries.
District Medical Officer Dr Cherisse Ratiram examined Sammy’s body and pronounced him dead before its removal to the San Fernando General Hospital mortuary.
Crime scene investigators recovered two spent 9 mm shells at the scene.
Officers from the Homicide Bureau of Investigations: Region Three, led by Sgt Elvin and WPC Marshall, visited the scene and began inquiries.
Investigators learned that while Sammy and his wife were driving along the Berridge Trace flyover in South Oropouche last Friday, a man sprung out of some bushes and began firing shots at their vehicle, damaging a window. Sammy reported the shooting to South Oropouche police.
On Sunday night, Residents recalled hearing the gunshots ringing out from a distance but said they did not see anything suspicious.
Several of them eventually went to Sammy’s house as news spread of his shooting.
They recalled seeing a white wagon casing the street where Sammy lived but did not know what the occupants were up to. However, they now believe the car followed Sammy as he returned home, to carry out the killing.
Residents said the community was not known for strife and criminal dealings. Furthermore, they said Sammy, who moved into the area approximately seven years ago, lived well with everyone. He would even give free ice cream and doughnuts to the neighbours.
The motive for his killing was unknown up until yesterday.