Grandmother of man killed by fake cops: I warned him about selling weed

An Arima woman says while she is mourning the murder of her grandson, Drew Kowlessar, she admits to warning him about the dangers of selling marijuana.

Kowlessar, 32, was at his businessplace at the drag mall on Queen Street, Arima, near Detour, at around 6.30 pm on Tuesday, when he was confronted by four men, two of whom were wearing police tactical uniforms and two wearing camouflage fatigues.

The men pulled Kowlessar out of the store onto the pavement where they shot him several times.

The gunmen got into a black Nissan X-Trail that was outfitted with blue strobe lights and drove off.

Police on patrol were called in with a district medical officer who declared Kowlessar dead.

Officers of the Special Evidence Recovery Unit (SERU) visited the scene and found 22 spent 5.56 mm shells and a live round of ammunition.

Speaking with Newsday at the family's Sherwood Drive, Arima, home on Wednesday, Kowlessar's grandmother Maria Kowlessar said while she remembered him as a good child, he sold weed.

She said despite repeated attempts to discourage him from doing so, he continued.

"I know my grandson used to sell weed and thing, plenty young boys doing that I think that's their way of life.

"I tried to discourage him but you can't stop them from doing these things.

"I tried to discourage him all the time, but you know how the youths of today are. He's not the only one, plenty mothers going through that struggle with their kids."

Asked what advice she had for other people involved in a similar lifestyle, Kowlessar urged them to steer clear of negative influences.

"Always think of what you want to do for yourself, don't follow no company. Company takes you away and they don't bring you back."

Kowlessar said her grandson was a US citizen who frequently travelled abroad and stayed in Brooklyn.

She said he brought clothes from the US for sale at the drag mall in Arima.

He was the father of two daughters ages 13 and 11 and a five-year-old son.

Contacted for comment, Arima Mayor Cagney Casimire said, while Kowlessar's murder was the first violent crime in the borough of Arima in recent time, he was still concerned.

"A lot of people talk about Arima and crime in Arima, this is the first time we've had this violent crime right in the borough by the (Arima) dial.

"For me its very concerning. I'm very distressed in knowing it happened by the dial, and I intend to get more information to see if there is something that may happen in the future or a one off incident. So I need to find out before I can draw any conclusions."

Police from the Homicide Bureau of Investigations Region II are continuing enquiries.