Maloney man shot dead while praying

Relatives of 49-year-old Brian Brown are grieving his murder and said despite his criminal past, he did not deserve to die the way he did.

Brown was shot in the gallery of his home at Building 16, Maloney while saying his prayers on Friday night.

Newsday spoke to Brown's relatives at the Forensic Science Centre, St James, on Monday.

One relative was upset that criminals would shoot an unarmed man saying his prayers.

"I am deeply hurt because he used to send prayers and well wishes to all his relatives on WhatsApp.

"Up to earlier on Friday I remembered calling him and telling him that I loved him.

"Why would somebody do something like that to a defenceless man?"

Relatives said while they did not deny Brown's criminal past, they felt he did not deserve such a fate.

"You're so desperate to kill someone that you're willing to climb up on top of another building just to kill him?

"It was jealousy is what prompted people to kill him. He would hardly venture out just to avoid being targeted by anyone."

Another said Brown worked hard to change his ways and was disheartened at how unforgiving society had become.

"People will always talk what they don't know about.

"Everybody has a past. I read one news site described him as a notorious criminal, but anyone who knew Brian would know that he put that life behind him years ago."