Man held in Ariapita Ave shooting

Police have a man in custody over the murder of a Venezuelan seeking asylum in TT.

The suspect allegedly shot the Venezuelan, identified as Alexander Cedeno Roroba, as he was leaving the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) building on De Verteuil Street, at about 9.45 am yesterday.

Police sources said the killer lay in wait in a Nissan Tiida, and as Roroba left the UNHCR building, where foreigners go to apply for asylum, he shot Roroba several times.

The suspect then allegedly drove off and abandoned the Tiida near the Mucurapo Cemetery, then got into a Toyota Axio.

Meanwhile, homicide detectives who were called to investigate the shooting got help from businesses in the area, whose CCTV cameras captured the killer as he got into the car and drove off.

An all-points bulletin was put out for the car, and it was spotted near the cemetery, which prompted police to search the area for the gunman. While he was trying to escape in the Axio, police intercepted it and arrested him.

He is said to be in a holding cell at the St James Police Station, while police continue investigations and try to find a motive for the killing.

The gunshots which rang out in Woodbrook yesterday shocked residents and left them feeling afraid and sickened. One lamented that shootings on the avenue were becoming more frequent.

Crime :is reaching our doorsteps now,” said one Woodbrook resident. “You have to be on your toes now. We can’t take it for granted that we are safe any more.”

Police confirmed Roroba's identity after his name was found near his body written on a piece of paper. They are now searching for family members to tell them of his death.

In a statement sent to the media, the UNHCR expressed condolences to the family.

"UNHCR is deeply saddened by the shooting death of an asylum seeker from Venezuela in Port of Spain Thursday morning. We offer our sincere condolences to the victim’s family and friends.

"We have confidence that the authorities of TT will conduct an exhaustive investigation into this terrible crime and bring those responsible to justice," UNHCR said.

An autopsy is expected to be done on his body, once relatives are located and are able to identify him.

The murder toll for the year is now 120.