HERO BROTHER: Man killed defending sister in grocery hold-up

A Chinese businessman was shot dead yesterday when he sought to defend his sister from two bandits during a robbery at the family’s Diego Martin businessplace.

Police said that Franklyn Wong, owner of Wong’s Supermarket, was at the cash register at about 11.30 am when the bandits entered the store which is situated at the corner of St Lucien Road and Majuba Crossroad and announced a hold-up. When one of the gunmen attacked Wong’s sister, he lunged forward in her defence and was shot once in the right side of the chest.

As the 39-year-old proprietor slumped to the floor, the bandits grabbed the cash register and ran out of the supermarket. Wong’s sister raised an alarm and residents alerted the police. Wong was taken to the St James Infirmary where he died while being treated.

Eyewitnesses said the bandits, in their haste to escape, dropped the cash register which was later found a short distance away along the Majuba Crossroad. Detectives from the Homicide Investigations Bureau were examining it for fingerprints and reviewing footage from security cameras at the grocery. They believe arrests may be imminent since the bandits did not wear masks and made any effort to conceal their identities.

Newsday visited the supermarket yesterday and spoke to people living nearby, who said the Wongs are well-liked and respected by all members of that community. Wong was said to have recently returned from living in Canada to help his mother Amoy Wong, run the family business.

Last Tuesday, fruit stall vendor Anand Gopaul was shot and wounded by bandits along St Lucien Road, mere metres from Wong’s supermarket. Up to press time, no arrest was made. Wong’s murder was the second recorded yesterday in West Trinidad.

Police said that at about 8.35 am, Andy Bailey, 36, of Good Session Drive in Diego Martin was liming with Kerron ‘Not Nice’ Paul, not far from the former’s home when two men approached them. Without warning, the men opened fire on Bailey and Paul, before running off.

Bailey, according to police, died on the spot while Paul was taken to Port of Spain General Hospital where he was treated and remains warded in critical condition. Police sources said that no motive has been established for the murder.