Bandit's relative claims excessive police force – No chance to eat KFC meal

THE four men who robbed a KFC delivery driver in Mayaro on Sunday night, did not even get a chance to eat the meal, as they were cornered by police in an abandoned beachfront house in Church Street and three of them were shot dead.

"They did not deserve to die. The chicken and chips were scattered on the ground and blood was all over. Dogs came and ate the KFC food," a resident said.

The resident, who asked not to be named, said he is a relative of Zachary Kori Gilbert, 19, of Mischier Road, Mayaro.

Gilbert, together with Khriston Cooper, 17, of St Ann's Road, and Antonio "Mata" St Rose, 21, of Bel Air Road, Mayaro, were killed in what police claim was a shootout. Cooper was a form five student at Mayaro Secondary School. The only surviving suspect is still on the run.

Up to Thursday, autopsies were yet to be done.

Moments before the alleged shootout, the four robbed the 41-year-old delivery driver at Mischier Road. The driver was in the area to drop off an order.

A man pretending to be a customer approached the delivery driver who was still in his car.

The police report said three other men armed with a gun, a cutlass, and a knife joined the "customer" and announced a robbery.

The four robbed the driver of the KFC meal order, cash, and cell phone. They ran towards a track at the beachfront. A report was made, and officers from Mayaro CID and the Eastern Division Task Force responded.

There was an alleged shootout, which left the three suspects dead.

Police said a gun with one bullet, spent casings, a cutlass, a knife, a cellular phone and cash were all found at the scene shortly after the shooting.

Supt Doodhai, Insp Ramkissoon, Sgt De La Rosa, acting Sgt Mohammed, Cpl Dwarika and other police visited the scene.

On Thursday, Gilbert's relatives said his elderly maternal grandfather of Valencia died of natural causes a few days before the killings. The family was dealing with that death and now have to deal with Gilbert's death.

His family insisted he was not the mastermind behind the robbery and accused the police of excessive force.

"What the children did was wrong. We heard they snatched the things and ran off. We also heard they did not have any weapons. They did not beat or kill the driver. So why did the police not arrest them? The police took revenge in their own hands," a relative said.

Gilbert's mother died when he and his two siblings were younger. They had been staying with their grandmother. Supt Doodhai is leading investigations.