Full military rights for slain soldier on Monday

The funeral service for Lance Cpl Marcus Gay has been set tentatively for Monday at the La Divina Pastora Church in Siparia with full military rites, relatives said.

Gay, 31, a member of an elite unit of the Regiment, was among six people, including a colleague and four civilians, who were wounded during a shootout at a wake in Moruga on Monday night. His service weapon, which was still in his hands as he lay dying on the ground, was missing by the time police arrived at the scene. Gay, a father one from Siparia, had more than ten years service. Reports are that shortly after 11 pm on Monday, PCs Babwah and Ramdath of the St Mary’s Police Post responded to a report of the shooting. On arrival, police found Gay with multiple gunshot wounds in a yard where the wake was in progress. His colleague Lance Cpl Marc Blunt, armed with a gun, lying on the roadside with gunshot wounds to his leg. The injured civilians included Victor, 30, and Vincent Brown, 26, sons of Angela Willie whose wake was in progress. She died last Saturday of heart failure. The others injured included Gerard Graham and Renrick St Clair.

Gay was pronounced dead at Princes Town Hospital on Monday night. Up to last evening, the five survivors remained at the San Fernando General Hospital. Reports are the soldiers both dressed in plain clothes, were working undercover at the wake. Police were guarding two of the wounded survivors at hospital.