Man shot dead

JUST a week after he moved to the village of Chankadial Trace, Balmain, Couva, a 30-year-old man was shot and killed. Charles Baird was shot in the chest and abdomen yesterday morning by gunmen and died on the spot. At about 2 am, Baird was at home with a 23-year-old woman when two masked men armed with guns entered the house.

The woman reported to police that on seeing the men, she ran into another room and hid.The men shot Baird several times, then ran out of the house and drove off in a car parked a few metres away. When the killers left the woman called an ambulance and police. Baird was pronounced dead at the Couva Health Facility.

Police said Baird who was originally from the Longdenville area, near Chaguanas, had moved to Balmain a week ago. When Newsday visited yesterday, villagers said that they were shocked on hearing of a killing in the area.

“I have only known this man for a week and he would always say good morning and evening to myself and everyone in the village,” a villager said. Another said he could not say much about Baird as he only had seen him in the village for a few days. Up to late yesterday police were trying to ascertain a motive for the killing.