[UPDATED] Ex-convict shot dead by police in Morvant

More than a year after being released from prison for murder, Nigel “Dufu” Mayers was shot and killed in a confrontation with members of the Special Operations Response Team (SORT) at his Morvant home early on Thursday morning.

Police said SORT officers went to Mayers’ Redwood Street home at around 6.30 am to search for guns and ammunition. He shot at them and they shot back, hitting him several times.

He was taken to the Port of Spain General Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.

An AK-47 assault rifle with a sniper scope and several explosives were found at the house. Up until 8 am, police were still there looking for more explosives which they suspect were hidden around the house.

The exercise was led by Snr Supt Phillip of the Northeastern Division, Sgts Hernandez and Metivier of the SORT and DCP Jayson Forde.

At a police media briefing on Thursday afternoon, Police Commissioner Gary Griffith said Mayers was charged 28 times and claimed he was part of a plot to kill him (Griffith) and his family.

He also slammed politicians, including St Augustine MP Prakash Ramadhar, for their failure to support the Bail Amendment Bill which would give magistrates a discretion to deny bail to people found with high-powered rifles and ammunition.

“There was a grenade found at the house which, if detonated, could clear everyone in this room – hundreds could be killed. The assault rifle that you see here could also kill hundreds of people. But guess what, there are politicians and attorneys that say had we arrested this person with all of this, it is his constitutional right to get bail the next day.

“All of these individuals who were very vociferous in 2014, Prakash Ramadhar included, and pushed hard for the bail amendment for a side arm, that member of parliament and others have the audacity to tell this country this is a boy who deserves bail.”

Griffith said there has been an increase in the number of hand grenades seized by police and said provisions of the Bail Amendment Bill would prevent those found with explosives from accessing bail.

Last May, Mayers was released after spending almost a decade in jail for the November 2010 murder of Morvant shopkeeper Shirley Thomas.

In 2004, Mayers and another man, Dexter Burnett, were shot by Tobago police who were following up reports of a robbery. Burnett died in that shootout.

Mayers won a lawsuit against the police in 2011, when Justice Amrika Tiwary-Reddy ruled they had used excessive and unreasonable force when they confronted the men.

This story has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

More than a year after being released from prison for murder, Nigel "Dufu" Mayers was shot and killed in a confrontation with members of the Special Operations Response Team (SORT) at his Morvant home early on Thursday morning.

Police said SORT officers went to Mayers' Redwood Street home at around 6.30 am to search for guns and ammunition.

He shot at them and they shot back, hitting him several times.

Police took him to the Port of Spain General Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.

An AK-47 assault rifle with a sniper scope and several explosives were found at the house. Up until 8 am police were still there looking for more explosives which they suspect were hidden around the house.

The exercise was led by Snr Supt Phillip of the Northeastern Division, Sgts Hernandez and Metivier of the SORT and DCP Jayson Forde.

Last May, Mayers was released from prison after spending almost a decade in jail for the November 2010 murder of Morvant shopkeeper Shirley Thomas.

In 2004, Mayers and another man, Dexter Burnett, were shot by Tobago police who were following up reports of a robbery. Bernard died in that shootout.

Mayers won a lawsuit against the police in 2011, when Justice Amrika Tiwary-Reddy ruled they had used excessive and unreasonable force when they confronted the men.