Senior Reporter
sascha.wilson@guardian.co.tt
Williamsville contractor Praimraj Heerah is asking for police protection after two gunmen tried to kill him at his home on Monday night.
Despite more than 12 bullets being fired at their vehicle, Heerah said apart from a minor injury to his toe and ear, his family escaped unhurt. He believes God protected them.
Recalling the ordeal yesterday, he said he picked up his 19-year-old daughter from work in his X-Trail and returned to their Ben Lomond Village home at 8.20 pm. His daughter’s 20-year-old female friend was also in the van. His 20-year-old son came out to open the sliding gate for him to drive in.
After he drove into the yard, he heard his son bawling, “Daddy, daddy.”
Heerah said a gunman walked into the yard, passed his son and wife, who was on the front step, and started firing at the van. He said his son ran back into the van.
He recalled, “All I could ah react when I hear the first shot, the second shot, the third one, I was still in the vehicle it was idling, I put in reverse...I thought I could ram him (bandit). When I mashed the ex (accelerator) I gone straight through the gate and went over the road.”
The 45-year-old father said the back tyre got stuck in a drain.
“I say we dead because they just start to shoot the van down because we stop. I don’t know how my son reached across, how he get his foot on the ex (accelerator) and the vehicle end up coming out the drain.”
Heerah said when he sped off the bandits returned to their vehicle, but they did not pursue him.
Heerah said he was pleased with the police response, but said his family needs police protection because the men might return to finish the job.
“They came to kill us. That wasn’t a warning. They said nothing. They just came to kill me and my daughter. All the shots were fired on my side of the vehicle with my daughter in the back of me, so it was targeted for me and my daughter...”
Thanking God that they survived, Heerah said they had moved into the house less than a month ago, and he had no problem with anyone, apart from an ongoing property dispute.
Scared that they are marked for death, he said, “What happened here last night, everybody’s life just reflect before your eyes. I thought my children were dead. I was just waiting for me to go (but), something just pull us out of it and thank God for that.”
Police are still trying to ascertain a motive. Princes Town police are investigating.