Gunmen walk past mother holding baby, kill father

A Rio Claro mother held her one-year-old daughter tightly as a group of men holding guns entered her home, walked past her and headed to the bedroom where they shot and killed her husband on Monday morning.

At the time, the young father, Roger Khan, 23, of Land Settlement, Ecclesville, Rio Claro, was asleep. The men shot him in the head and ran out of the house.

Bleeding from gunshot wounds, Khan was able to stand up before stumbling to the ground at the front of the bedroom.

Police the killing happened at about 2.30 am.

His common-law wife Mary Mahabir ,19, was in the living room of the house with their daughter.

Reports said the mother had just fed the infant and was cradling her as she fell sleep when the men stormed into the house through the front door.

The screaming mother called the ambulance and police from the Rio Claro Station. Neighbours who heard her screams rushed to the house to comfort the woman.

Police searched the area for the men but did not find the killers.

Ecclesville councillor Shaffik Mohammed told Newsday the news of the killing has left the villagers in a state of shock.

He said the village of Land Settlement is a peaceful community where there are not reports of crime.

“The news of the murder of this young man has really left me baffled. This is not a community where crime is prevalent. It shows now that crime is now happening all over.”

Mohammed said he knew the young father by seeing him in the area but was more familiar with his father.

He planned to visit the family on Monday afternoon.

Police said they did not yet have a motive for the killing.

An autopsy on Khan’s body was expected to be done on Monday. Forensic Sciences Centre, St James.