This was murder

NALINEE SEELAL and JULIEN NEAVES

TWO men were killed during an exchange of gunfire with police in Malick yesterday. However, relatives are claiming it was cold-blooded murder.

Dead are Obika Roberts, 31, and 22-year-old Nkosi Maitland, aka “Moby.” Police said both were wanted in connection with several shootings along the East/West Corridor.

At around 7.15 am, North Eastern Division Task Force (NEDTF) officers received information that two gunmen were at a house at Seventh Avenue, Malick, Barataria. Officers led by ASP Sookar along with Insp Guillermo and others responded.

On reaching the house, which is reportedly owned by a known gang leader, the officers claim they were met with rapid gunfire. They fired back and later found the two men bleeding from gunshot wounds. They were taken to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, where they were pronounced dead on arrival.

The two deaths brought to nine the number of people killed in shoot-outs with police so far this year. Yesterday, senior officers said that a report on the incident has been requested by head of the NEDTF, acting Supt Surendra Sagramsingh. Roberts’ father, who asked not to be identified, said he was told that the police shot his son.

“He was no bed of roses. But I mean if a man is unarmed they are supposed to arrest him if he do something. You ain’t supposed to just kill him cold blooded just so.

So that’s advantage,” the man said. He said his son was in jail before but had won all his cases and was doing some mechanic work.

“When he was young, he wasn’t easy. He had certain charges but he win all.”

Following the killings, residents burned debris in protest and promised further action. According to relatives and friends, the shooting was “cold blooded murder.”

The residents said officers had surrounded the house since 4.30 am and the two men opened the door at 6 am only to be shot multiple times.