[UPDATED] He was no good boy, says mother of Caroni double murder victim

Michelle Bruce says she is not surprised by the murder of her son Ruben Subar, but insists he did not deserve to die the way he did, and is calling on other parents to pray for their children while being honest about their flaws.

Subar, 27, and his friend Akil Nesbit, 36, were shot dead near a bar on the Caroni South Bank Road early on Sunday morning.

Caroni police were on patrol in the area at around 4.10 am when they heard gunshots and saw people running.

They went to the car park of a nearby bar and saw Nesbit's body in the driver's seat of a white Toyota Corolla and Subar's body on the ground outside the car.

A third man was found bleeding in the back seat. He was taken to hospital, where he is being treated.

Crime scene investigators found 20 spent shells at the scene.

Newsday visited the family's Oropune Village, Piarco, home on Sunday and spoke with his mother, who said her son could be difficult.

She said despite repeated warnings from herself and other family members, Subar continued to be troublesome.

"I'm not saying my child is a good child, because at the end of the day I'm coming out plain, he does cuss me. He used to tell me to mind my business, he's a big man.

"I have ten children and I talk to all of them, and he's the only child that didn't listen.

"I'm not like some mothers who would lie and say 'My son is a good boy,' I'm not doing that.

"I know what my son did, and I tell all of my children: if you do wrong, you all have to pay the price. My children might vex I'm saying it, but I'm being honest with myself."

Bruce said it was important for parents to continue to work with their children and guide them, despite their problems, and urged families to do their best.

She also said while parents had a responsibility to help their children, they should not try to hide their wrongdoing.

"I can tell them to continue praying for your children, but when your children are doing wrong, don't lie; be truthful and honest, because God doesn't like liars.

"I'm not hiding my children, and as a mother, you shouldn't hide your children's ways, because God knows and sees everything."

Recalling her last interaction with Subar on Saturday evening, Bruce said her last words to him were: "Go with God."

She also said she was upset over the murders, but left retribution in God's hands and was confident he would ensure justice was done.

Acknowledging that the murder toll for the year had already crossed 500, Bruce said she was disappointed at the spate of violence and hoped people would live better with each other.

Newsday visited the bar where the shooting happened on the Caroni South Bank Road, but it was closed.

Another bar owner in the area said he was shaken by the murders and felt it was an example that crime could happen anywhere without warning.

He said he knew the owner of the bar where the shooting happened, and felt bad for him.

"I wish I could close down my business now, but I don't have a choice: I'm owing the bank.

"Between you and I, it (the crime) sickening.

"I am sorry for what happened by him, because yesterday was for him: who knows? The next day it might be by me."

The man said he had been living in the community for over 20 years and it was not known to have a lot of crime in the past.

He said there were concerns that an upsurge in crime could lead to a decline in business for bars and restaurants.

"We're in the same business and when something like that happens, it's a bad image for the business. Now people won't want to come out now at night, because they're afraid and that is where the trouble will start. So as the saying goes, what you don't like for yourself, don't wish it for anyone else."

Police have not yet established a motive for Subar and Nesbit's murder.

Officers from the Homicide Bureau of Investigations Region III are continuing enquiries.

This story was originally published with the title "Two dead, one wounded after Caroni bar shooting" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

Police are probing the murders of two men and the wounding of another at a bar in Caroni early on Sunday morning.

Police said officers of the Caroni police station were on patrol on the Caroni South Bank Road, at around 4.10 am when they heard gunshots and saw people running.

The officers went to the car park of a nearby bar where they saw the bodies of Akil Nesbit, 36, in the driver's seat of a white Toyota Corolla and Ruben Sabarbruce, 27, on the ground outside the car.

Police also found a man bleeding in the back seat of the car.

Officers took Sabarbruce and the wounded man to the Mt Hope Hospital where Sabarbruce was declared dead at around 4.26 am.

The wounded man remained warded up to 11 am on Sunday.

A district medical officer visited the scene and declared Nesbit dead.

Crime scene investigators found 20 spent shells.

Police have not established any motive for the murders.