Senior Reporter
sascha.wilson@guardian.co.tt
One day after his wife, Gracelyn Ramberan, and their son Randy Rampersad were shot dead by assailants at their Ste Madeleine home, 58-year-old Vijai Rampersad continues to cling to life at the San Fernando General Hospital.
Rampersad (Snr) underwent surgery after he was shot in the head and remains warded at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). His daughter-in-law, Kimberly Sookoo-Rampersad, 25, was also shot and is in a stable condition at the same hospital.
Both police and relatives believe Randy, 25, was the intended target. Further investigations by the police revealed that Randy sold drugs and was recently involved in an argument with people about the sale of drugs in the area.
The family was asleep at their Peterloo Street, Friendship Village home sometime after 2 am on Friday when gunmen pried open the front door and opened fire.
Ramberan, 48, was shot in the head and died on the spot. Her husband grabbed a cutlass and chased one of the bandits, but he, too, was shot in the head. Their son, Randy, and his wife, Sookoo-Rampersad, ran outside but were both shot. Randy died on the road. Bleeding and screaming, Sookoo-Rampersad ran to a relative’s home begging for help.
After the bandits ran off, a relative said she hugged her husband’s body and cried. They had been married for about three years. Ramberan’s nephew and his wife, who lived downstairs, were not hurt.
When Guardian Media returned to the area yesterday, no one was at home. One of Ramberan’s brothers, who requested anonymity, said Rampersad (Snr) was in a critical condition, but they were hoping that he recovers. Following the autopsy next week, he said they would be planning one funeral service for his sister and nephew. “God is good; we have to fight it out and see,” he lamented.
Admitting that Randy had been charged previously for marijuana-related offences, he said that last year Randy began changing his life and no longer sold marijuana. As a result, he said Randy’s parents and wife helped him buy a Toyota Taisor two months ago.
“He smoke he lil thing, but that was in the past. Everybody had their past. He changed his life. His parents put up, together with his wife, and put a downpayment and took out a van for him because they see a lot of improvement.” He said Randy did tile work as well as planted and sold crops for a living.
Advising people to be careful about the path they choose in life, he said, “People have to choose the righteous path and make it right. If you are dealing with something negative, you cannot expect positive results.”
He added that his nephew was his sister’s only child and they shared a close bond.
Police recovered 12 CBC 9mm Luger spent shells and a cutlass at the scene.
Officers of the Homicide Bureau of Investigations, Region 3, are investigating.
