Shot man dies at Tunapuna Market

INVESTIGATORS are trying to establish a motive for the murder of Atiba Joseph who after being shot on Monday night, ran off but collapsed and died in front of the Tunapuna market.

A police report said that shortly after 9.13 pm, Joseph of Mohammed Trace, Tunapuna was liming with a group near the WASA compound at St Augustine Circular, when a masked gunman walked up to him and shot him several times. The other limers were not injured as they scattered and ran off in different directions.

Bleeding heavily, Joseph attempted to escape by running west along the Priority Bus Route but the gunman followed, firing more shots at him. On reaching the market, Joseph collapsed.

A report was made to the police and officers who arrived on the scene later recovered several spent bullet casings. The district medical officer later ordered Joseph's body removed to the Forensic Science Centre in St James where an autopsy will be done.

Up to press time, there were no arrests and Northern Division police are continuing investigations.

In an unrelated incident, an Arima man was shot twice by gunmen in Maturita Village while standing on a flight of stairs at a friend’s home along the Eastern Main Road.

Police said gunmen entered the yard at around 9.35 pm on Monday and shot Shaquille Sandy.

Sandy, 28, who was shot in his left thigh, collapsed on the stairway as the gunmen ran off.

A report was made to police and the wounded man was taken to the Arima Hospital where he was treated and up to press time, he remained warded in a stable condition.

Investigators recovered two live rounds of ammunition and two spent shotgun cartridges at the scene. No motive was given for this shooting and no arrests have been made.