Coconut vendor murdered near Ste Madeleine police station

A coconut vendor was gunned down in the full glare of customers, a stone’s throw from the Ste Madeleine Police Station on Saturday afternoon.

Jamal Mc Queen, 20 of Tarrodale, who was attending to customers at the Ste Madeleine Recreation ground at the time died on the scene.

According to police reports, around 2 pm, a blue pickup van, registration TCJ-2904, pulled up alongside the ground. A lone gunman, fully masked, slim built and dressed in all black clothing, exited the vehicle and fired several shots at Mc Queen.

The gunman re-entered the vehicle which drove off and was later abandoned along the M2 Ring Road.

Customers scampered for safety as Mc Queen slumped to the ground where he died.

Ag Cpl Sookdeo and PC Rambhajan of the Ste Madeleine police station were the first responders who cordoned off the scene.

EMT personnel who arrived shortly found Mc Queen unresponsive and found no vital signs. DMO Rajkumarsingh pronounced the body dead and ordered its removal to the mortuary of the San Fernando General Hospital pending an autopsy.

The scene was further processed by ASP Persad, ASP Jaikaran, Sgt Bassarath, Cpl Griffith, PC Lall, WPC Gilkes also processed the scene.

Police believe the motive to be drug-related.

When Newsday visited the family’s home, the mother was said to be too distraught to speak.

Investigations are continuing.