Second murder for the year in Couva

THE second murder for the new year was recorded on Tuesday in Union Village, Couva, when a fish vendor was shot by a man wearing camouflage clothing.

Samuel Sookdeo, 31, was with friends at around 10.30 pm when a masked man walked up to the group and started shooting.

Sookdeo was shot to his head and chest and died on the spot.

Another man identified as Patrick Samuel was shot to his back. Brandon Siew also suffered injuries to his lower abdomen after a bullet grazed him. Siew and Patrick were taken to the Couva health facility where they were attended to and discharged.

A still shaken Siew told Newsday they were all sitting on the tray of a van, inside the yard of his home, talking and laughing when they saw the man holding a gun run into the yard.

“By the time we saw this man who looked like a soldier with a mask and this gun in his hand, it was too late for us to run. He began to shoot.”