Watermelon vendor, 20, shot dead

DEBBIE ROOPCHAND screamed and begged undertakers yesterday not to take away the body of her only son after he was gunned down while selling watermelons in Gasparillo.

Police had to help relatives hold up Roopchand as Brandon Samaroo’s body was removed,

Around 10.30am a white Toyota Axio pulled up near Brandon’s stall. A man got out, ran up to the shed where Brandon was sitting and shot him twice. Speaking to Newsday, Brandon’s father Bobby Samaroo said he was in shock over the killing, as he did not think his son was a target for anyone.

“Is ten or 12 years now I selling here and everyone know Brandon with me, they know he is a nice boy. I don’t know anything about any threats or falling out.”

He said about three months ago Brandon asked to be allowed to sell on his own, as he wanted to save some money. “He wanted to be an air condition technician, so he was just doing this for the time.”

Samaroo said this is the first time his family has seen violent crime come home to them. Asked to comment further, he said he could not find words to express himself.

Samaroo and Roopchand have one other child, a ten-year-old girl.

Roopchand was inconsolable and begged police to let her see Brandon’s body.

“Brandon! Brandon! Come back, Brandon! Why they kill my child?

Why? Oh God, don’t let them take him,” she screamed as relatives tried to hold her back from the crime scene.

She was put to sit in the open trunk of a relative’s SUV. Her screams drew dozens of onlookers.

Traffic along the busy main road piled up as passing drivers tried to get a closer look.

Insp Don Gajadhar of the San Fernando CID said police have no motive for Brandon’s murder.

Brandon’s body was taken to the Forensic Science Centre.