Relatives of Cirn Joseph: He was no gangster

An autopsy performed at the Forensic Science Centre in St James yesterday confirmed that Cirn Joseph the 31-year-old man who was shot dead in Laventille on Wednesday, died from multiple gunshot wounds.

Relatives yesterday told Newsday in no uncertain terms was Joseph a gang member or affiliated in any gang in the Laventille area.

"He (Joseph) never affiliated himself with any gang, and he doesn't have any outstanding warrants or pending matters," said relatives yesterday. "He is a dedicated father of five."

Relatives told Newsday that Joseph took the day off from his job as a labourer to go to Manzanilla to attend the funeral of a relative who died of natural causes.

According to reports Joseph and his uncle were on the Eastern Main Road at about 10.10 am on Wednesday, when they were shot at by gunmen occupying a Nissan Palmer.

Officers of the Inter-Agency Task Force found Joseph lying at the side of the road suffering from gunshot wounds that would ultimately kill him.

Joseph's death is said to be another causality in an ongoing conflict between rival gangs in the East Port of Spain area.