TOBAGO SAFE NO MORE

ON the day a new police station was opened – and five days before Christmas – Tobago recorded its tenth murder for 2019 after MI4 security officer Mark Nurse, 40, of Canaan was gunned down in a robbery around 3.30 am in Carnbee.

According to police, Nurse and another security officer, Atoyia Charles, were in the process of transporting the day's sales from Penny Savers Supermarket, on Carnbee Main Road, when bandits approached. As Charles left the building with the money bag she was approached by two masked gunmen who ordered her to handover the money.

She complied and was shot in the leg and shoulder. Nurse, who was seated in the driver’s seat in the company vehicle was approached by one of the gunmen who shot him to the back of the head. The bandits escaped with $160,000, Newsday was told.

Charles was taken to the Scarborough General Hospital for treatment and remained warded up to press time on Friday evening. Nurse was pronounced dead on the scene.

National Security Minister Stuart Young on Friday afternoon at the opening of the Roxborough police station, said the killers used high-powered weapons.

“One of the spent shells that were found at this crime scene was what we call a 5.56 round as well as a 9mm. A 5.56 round is used by AR-15s, which are assault rifles," he said.

Nurse leaves to mourn his wife, Clarissa Joseph-Nurse, and two children, aged 18 and one.

When Newsday visited the family home in Canaan on Friday night, Joseph-Nurse was beyond grief. She said what was supposed to be an enjoyable Christmas would now be spent organising a funeral.

She said they had plans to spend Christmas with her family in Trinidad.

"I kept getting the feeling to call him. I kept thinking, 'Call him, call him' because he would usually work late and I would call to check up on him."

She said she was shocked when she got the news but is trying to stay composed for their toddler.

"It hit me but I can't break down. I have to be strong for our son. If I break down he would be affected," she said.

She described her husband as a kind person who would "always try to give others the benefit of the doubt."

Joseph-Nurse, who is originally from Trinidad, said the safe and serene stereotype of Tobago is no more.

"It's something that I never expect because they say Tobago is safe, but that's not so again."

She said her husband will be cremated.

"I will honour his wish to be cremated. He always tell me, 'If anything happen to me don't bury me, I don't want to be worm food."

Nurse was the father of Marie Nurse, 18, and one-year-old Makai Nurse.

A LIFE OF SERVICE

Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA), said he hoped Tobago police would leave no stone unturned in bringing the perpetrators of this horrific act to swift justice.

Nurse was also employed with the Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA), which falls under the Office of the Chief Secretary.

In a release, Charles described Nurse as “a treasured member of our family having been a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) volunteer, before joining that unit of TEMA in 2005. Even prior to this, he was a member of the Cadet Force and the Boys Brigade.

"His was a life of service and dedication to duty. His colleagues describe him as a special and unique person, fun to be around, hard-working, polite, always willing and professional under any circumstance, and this spoke to his character as a man and an employee,” Charles said.

TEMA director Allan Stewart described the incident as “heart wrenching situation that has shattered a family.” He extended condolences to the Nurse family.

“TEMA continues to support its staff by offering an Employee Assistance Programme to all employees who are grossly impacted and saddened by this heinous crime,” Stewart said.

One of Nurse's colleagues at MI4 Security told Newsday the shooting had shaken the entire organisation and some of the officers are now terrified.

When Newsday contacted MI4 Security a company rep said it would release a statement on the incident soon.

Newsday also made attempts to contact the supermarket for a comment. All attempts were unsuccessful.

Shopping continued at Penny Savers on Friday.

ACP of Tobago police division Vernon Roberts is now urging businessmen to stop allowing their sales to accumulate to large amounts before depositing them into the bank.

“I want to reinforce that business places can call on the police service for escort when they have cash to transport. I know there are private security (but) they can also call the district police and we will provide that service free of charge. This is towards keeping down crime.”

He added, “I also urge them to make frequent deposit of their cash and not to let them accumulate. If they do this at the end of the day, they should have minimum cash in their possession.”

He also urged shoppers to be aware of their surroundings and to secure their valuables properly. “If this is done then you won’t make yourself a hard (easy) target. Secure your premises and don’t over shop, where your hands are full and people can easily take your purse away. A person may not want to commit a crime but they spot your valuables any want to mark you.”

This incident came five days after a gas station, just a stone throw away from the murder scene, was robbed.

In 2018 Tobago recorded 12 murders.