Scuffle over parking space ends in ex-soldier's death

A SCUFFLE over a parking space in Cocoyea, San Fernando, ended in the shooting death of a former soldier on Friday afternoon.

Jamie Walker, 39, died in front of the building that houses We Supermarket and Anand’s Pharmacy on Naparima Mayaro Road.

His wife, Heather Sedeno-Walker, and three of their children — a 13-year-old boy and two girls, four and eight — witnessed the shooting. The Pleasantville family was on their way home shortly before 5 pm when the incident happened.

Police said the shooter, a special reserve policeman who was working as a security guard on the compound, was taken to the San Fernando General Hospital. He was expected to be questioned by investigators on Friday night.

Sedeno-Walker told Newsday she earlier picked up the children from their schools in Pleasantville and San Fernando. Her husband, who worked at Radian H.A Ltd in Marabella, called and asked her to pick him up.

She picked him up, and the children wanted to get food.

Sedeno-Walker said she drove into the car park and parked the car. Her husband was in the front passenger seat, and the children were in the back. She walked across the street to buy food from D Bo$$ BBQ.

From there, she heard her husband and the guard quarrelling.

When Sedeno-Walker returned to the car, she saw the guard and her husband in a scuffle. The guard drew his weapon and three shots were heard. He then ran inside the pharmacy.

"The children bawled out, ‘Daddy, Daddy!’ Everything happened so fast. My son saw everything, and I heard three shots. My husband was still standing, and I saw blood on his shirt. I thought he got grazed," Sedeno-Walker said.

"He sat down and asked for water. I went inside the pharmacy and asked what to do. I also called the ambulance.
"The security said he was a policeman.

"He had no reason to shoot my husband."

She described Walker as a brave, outspoken, and fearless man. The couple was married for 14 years. Apart from the three children who were in the car, they also have a two-year-old.

Walker’s father, Ellis Walker, from Penal, said another son called and told him about the shooting. Thinking his son might have been wounded and taken for treatment, he went straight to the San Fernando General Hospital.

He got another call about the death and then went to the scene. The weeping father said his son left the regiment a few years ago. Several people gathered on the roadside as the police cordoned off the scene.

Investigations are continuing.