'Man in red' on helping murder victim's daughter: Don't reward me, help the little girl

Even as compliments continued to pour in for "the man in the red jersey" who hugged and offered comforting words to a four-year-old girl at the murder scene of her father, he took no credit for his heartwarming gesture.

"It was nothing. I did what I had to do. I was in the correct place at the correct time. I heard what sounded like fireworks, and then I saw the child screaming and running towards the entrance of the car park where cars were passing nearby," the man said.

"She kept saying ‘My Daddy, my Daddy.’ I hugged her and kept trying to calm her down. I asked if her mother was around or where they were from. She was so tramautised that she could not answer anything."

A team from Newsday found him on Thursday in his hometown and coincidentally, he was wearing a red jersey. He, however, asked that neither his name be used, nor his photos be taken. He is a former fireman with 20 years of service.

On Monday afternoon, prison officer Nigel Jones, 38, was killed in a drive-by shooting at the Fyzabad taxi stand in Siparia. His daughter was standing next to him but escaped unhurt.

Video footage shows the girl running and screaming hysterically in the car park near the taxi stand.

Without hesitation, the unnamed man ran towards her and grabbed her. He hugged and rubbed her back.

Recalling the ordeal, the man said with the help of a female driver, he put the child to sit in a car until relatives arrived at the scene.

The man said, "I did not know who the victim was at the time. I have children too, so it was a father’s instinct. As a former fireman, I was trained to respond to a variety of emergencies. When people are running from a situation, we are usually running towards it."

He saw weeping relatives, whom he knew only by face, on the scene.

"The child’s uncle was telling me thanks when I visited the family in Siparia. I was confused and did not know why," he said.

Many people have taken to social media and referred to him as an angel sent to help "that little baby girl".

"This mystery man needs a reward. Thank you, sir. You been a blessing in disguise," a Facebook user said.

Another said, "God bless the protector in red. (He was at the) right place at the right time. Your reactions are precious."

"This man didn't hesitate to show human compassion. Well done sir," a third user said.

Many people praised "the man in the red jersey."

The public’s response came as a surprise to him.

"I just saw comments from people saying I should be rewarded. Whatever people think I should get, it should be given to the little girl. She is the one in the greatest need right now."

Jones and his daughter of Fyzabad were waiting for a car to go home n Monday when a car pulled alongside them and killed him on the spot.

No one was at the family’s home when Newsday revisited on Thursday.

Jones worked at the Wayne Jackson Building (Building 13) at the Maximum Security Prison in Arouca.

His murder happened three days after his co-worker Trevor Serrette was gunned down at his fruit stall in Valenica.

On Tuesday night, an off-duty policeman was shot and wounded while defending a female prison officer in Tunapuna.

Prison officers claimed prisoners have a plot to kill them. In response, a prisoner accused the officers of "provoking a situation then playing victims."

Investigations are ongoing.