[UPDATED] ‘He died a hero’

RELATIVES of 36-year-old father of three Mathew De Silva wept as they lauded him for sacrificing his life early on Monday in what is believed to be an attempted robbery gone wrong on Hutton Road, St Ann’s.

His widow, Megan, told Newsday at the Forensic Science Centre in St James yesterday that De Silva was fatally shot while trying to fight off the gunmen.

“He was a selfless person,” said his widow. “He would help anybody.”

She described De Silva, a security camera installation technician, as the kind of person who would do anything to help someone else.

Newsday understands at about 2 am, De Silva was playing cards with another friend on Hutton Road when a gunman stormed into the house. He leaped in front of the gunman and began wrestling with him. He managed to push the man out of the door, but ran into two more gunmen, who shot him three times.

Police took him to hospital but he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Megan told Newsday she and their three children were asleep when her phone rang just after 2 am to give her the tragic news.

“A friend called me and said to come right away, because he had been shot.

“I flew out of my house and I called my sister to watch the kids. I ran to the house, but people would not let me see him.

“But even though I didn’t see him I knew... But he saved two people in the process, so he is my hero.”

She said they had been married for 11 years, but had been sweethearts since they had been teenagers.

She described her husband as a loving man who was loved by many people and a good father and husband.

“He was my best friend,” she lamented. She had not yet told his three children of his death.

“I will gather them together and tell them later,” she said. “For now I am letting them go through their normal routine. I asked everyone not to tell them anything for now, but it is already on the radio.”

Police were watching CCTV footage for evidence that would point to De Silva’s killers.

The murder toll for the year now stands at 323.

This story was originally published with the title "Wife of St Ann’s murder victim: He died a hero" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

RELATIVES of 36-year-old father of three Mathew De Silva wept as they lauded him for sacrificing his life on Sunday night.

De Silva's wife, in an interview with Newsday, said gunmen fatally shot her husband while he was fighting them off.

She believes the incident was an attempted robbery gone wrong.

“He was a selfless person,” said his wife. “He would help anybody.”

She described De Silva, a security camera installation technician, as the kind of person that would do anything to help another person.

Newsday understands at about 2 am, he was playing cards with another friend at his Hutton Road home when a gunman stormed the house.

He leaped in front the gunman and began wrestling with him.

He pushed him out the door, but ran into two more gunmen who shot him three times.

Police took him to hospital where he was pronounced dead.