'He wasn't a pest'

RELATIVES of Shane Fraser, the 20-year-old shot dead by police on Tuesday morning, defended him yesterday, saying while he was a "pest" to police, he was a helpful and respectful youth to them.

"He wasn't disrespectful, but he wasn't the type of person to put water in his mouth for anyone," said his mother. "If he had to tell you something he would tell you, and he wouldn't care if you were vexed or not. Beside that he was a cool, normal fella."

Family members admitted, however, that Fraser had pending cases for gun and ammunition possession. Newsday was told he was arrested while still enrolled in a school in Port of Spain.

His mother added that when he came of age he began following the Muslim faith.

"He wasn't doing it for no bad-man thing," she said, "He was really serious about the religion. I didn't tell him anything about it because he was already a big man."

At about 2.40 am yesterday, Inter-Agency Task Force officers went to Fraser's home on Picton Road, Laventille, with a search warrant.

When they approached they reportedly saw him reaching for a gun and fired first, before he had a chance to shoot.

The autopsy confirmed he died from gunshot wounds.