Shane Superville
Senior Reporter
shane.superville@guardian.co.tt
A quick lime before work on Friday morning almost ended in death for 50-year-old Curtis John, when gunmen opened fire on him and other passers-by near his Belmont home.
John was shot in his left leg, while his friend 24-year-old Tafarwa Roberts was shot in his head. Roberts remained in critical condition up to yesterday afternoon.
Meanwhile, one of the suspects is dead while the other surrendered to the police.
Speaking with Guardian Media in Belmont shortly after being discharged from the Port-of-Spain General Hospital yesterday, John said he was grateful to be alive and never expected to be the victim of such a violent, unprovoked attack.
Recalling the incident, John said he was waiting for two of his co-workers near a neighbourhood parlour when he and others saw a silver Nissan Tiida drive along Serreneau Road.
He said nearby residents were uneasy as they could not recognise the driver, especially as rumours of an ongoing gang war circulated within the neighbourhood.
“As I’m bringing a beer for my friend and standing by a car, I see a car come driving into the road and those guys were watching the vehicle and wondering if this was a taxi. We know there were strange cars, but with everything you have to be watching your back.”
Gesturing with one of the crutches he now relies on to walk, John said, “I saw the barrel of a gun like this from the back seat. They came out and started shooting.”
John said while he did not freeze, he was shocked at how quickly the attack unfolded. “Things happen, and you know how dangerous the place is. You have to listen, watch, and observe at all times. Nobody can know what will happen next.”
John, who works as a tradesman, maintained that he was not the intended target of the gunmen and was not a criminal. He also commended the doctors and medical staff at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital for their care.
“They treat me well. I’m not like one of those patients who gives trouble,” John joked.
John was helped to his home by relatives as he was still in pain following the attack.
High praise for police
One relative lamented the unpredictable nature of such attacks and how easily young men were influenced to do the bidding of criminals. “They have no sense. They’re being misled by older ones who say they are gang leaders. These leaders are encouraging them from an early age to do all kinds of foolishness, not knowing it will come back to haunt them sometime. Trinidad and Tobago is too small to be going through these problems.”
Despite his concerns, the relative said he was pleased with the quick response of various police units who were called in and eventually captured the two suspects.
A police media release yesterday revealed that officers of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), the Port-of-Spain Task Force, and the Guard and Emergency Branch (GEB) responded to the shooting and arrested the men.
One of the suspects reportedly pointed a gun at the officers as he hid in a nearby drain on the St Francois Valley Road.
Police shot the man, killing him. While the media release did not confirm the man’s identity, they reported that he was an 18-year-old man from McKai Lands, Belmont.
The second suspect surrendered to police and was expected to be questioned yesterday.
Officers found and seized two AR-15 rifles with 47 rounds of 5.56 ammunition.
Guardian Media visited St Francois Valley Road yesterday and spoke with residents who praised the officers for their efforts in finding the gunmen.
One Belmont business owner said while she did not see the shooting, she remembered hearing gunshots and taking cover. She said she was impressed with the officers’ response, crawling through narrow drains to catch the suspects as the drama unfolded.
“People often say the police don’t work, but I saw with my own two eyes how hard they worked yesterday (Friday). They went down in the canal, and they came out soaking wet. They wet up to their chests with that dirty drain water. I saw them running, and I thought some were lazy, but they ran the fastest, and by the end they were tired.”
One long-time Belmont resident, who asked to be identified only as Carlos, said he was grateful for the swift response from the police and was happy that no innocent passers-by were hurt as the officer arrested the suspects.
He said he remembered hearing gunshots just after midday on Friday but did not think much of it, as the sound of gunfire in the neighbourhood had become more common in recent times.
“When I go inside, I don’t come out at all. But when I saw the police arrest those guys, it gave me some encouragement that they were still around.”
One man said in addition to the response of the police, he appreciated the tact and discretion used by the officers in finding the suspects without disrupting and traumatising the students at the school.
“They didn’t just charge in and order the school to be dismissed. They carefully waited in the area and did what they had to do.”
BOX
Belmont councillor troubled; senior cop vows to secure schools
On her Facebook account yesterday, Belmont East councillor Nicole Young said she was deeply troubled by the shooting and extended her support to the students of St Francois Girls’ College, who were shaken. Young also thanked the police for their quick response and praised the community for their strength throughout the incident.
“I understand that both the Student Support Services Division of the Ministry of Education and the Victim and Witness Support Unit of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service have made contact with the school and will be providing psychosocial support to the students and staff. Their efforts are crucial in helping our community heal and move forward.”
In their media release yesterday, police confirmed officers of their Victim and Witness Support Unit would visit the school on Monday to offer support to staff and students. The attack is the second shooting to happen near a school this week, as two men, Gerard Calliste, 36, and Kemo Calliste, 32, were gunned down outside Roxanne’s Learning and Childcare Centre in Malick on Wednesday.
A four-year-old boy and his 48-year-old godmother were wounded during this attack.
In the release, head of the Port of Spain Division, Snr Supt Raymond Thom said violence in and around schools was unacceptable and vowed that the police would work towards enhancing safety for children.
“We will do what is necessary for all schools to remain’safe spaces.’ There is no place for this kind of lawlessness in our communities, and we will continue to take a firm stand to ensure the safety and security of all citizens, especially our children.”