Sascha Wilson
The family of Corporal Claude Blake wants a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding how he was shot in the head at the army base in La Romain on Tuesday.
Dismissing any suggestion that the wound was self-inflicted, the family said the version of events suggesting the gun accidentally discharged also made “no sense.”
Preliminary reports stated that around 3.15 pm, his colleagues at the 2nd Infantry Battalion’s La Romain Army Base, along the M2 Ring Road, heard a loud explosion. They then found Blake lying on the floor bleeding from a head wound with a pistol near his body. The army’s medics took Blake to the San Fernando General Hospital where he died around 4.20 pm.
The medical report obtained by the police at the hospital stated: “Penetrating injury to the right temporal area above eyebrow. Large 2x3 cm penetrating injury to the left occipital parietal area with brain matter exposed.”
Investigators retrieved the pistol, a spent shell and a projectile at the scene.
In a telephone interview yesterday, Blake’s brother Brian said he had 18 years’ service. He said they were told that the shooting was accidental. “The version we got is that he was cleaning his firearm and shot himself by accident or something ... that really not making sense.”
He said it made no sense to them because a firearm is usually disassembled before it is cleaned.
“You cannot shoot yourself with a firearm that is disassembled,” he said. Brian said they are hoping a proper investigation will be conducted.
“We just hope that the police do their due diligence and the facts and the truth of what happened actually comes out,” he said.
He also dismissed speculation that Blake committed suicide.
“My brother loved life too much to commit suicide. He just came back from Tobago, hours before he was messaging family members concerning things that he have to do. That’s not feasible...Anyone you talk to will describe him as the life of the party.”
He explained that Blake went to Tobago with his cousin for Carnival celebrations and they returned on Monday. He reported to work that day. Brian said his cousin told them they had a fun time in Tobago and when they parted ways, Blake was in good spirits. He said his brother liked liming, cars, music and Christmas. Blake, he added, was planning to spend Christmas with them.
The eldest of four siblings, Brian said his brother shared a close bond with their mother. Originally from Rio Claro, Blake lived in El Socorro, San Juan, and had an 18-year-old daughter.
“Everybody is distraught,” lamented Brian.
“He would not commit suicide. He would not do that to his family and his mother, that is not the kind of individual he is.”
The autopsy has not yet been done.
Sgt Teeluck of the San Fernando Police is investigating.