Man shot dead in Port of Spain

A 27-year-old man was shot dead in Port of Spain on Thursday.

Jeffrey Joseph was sitting at the entrance of Building C, Charford Court around 2.40 pm when a gunman walked up to him and shot him dead.

When Newsday visited the scene, Joseph's mother, who did not give her name, said he had been in trouble with the law before.

“Look what happened to my son. God have mercy on these people.”

As she stood in blood-soaked clothing on Charlotte Street, the woman said, “After they shot him, I hugged up my child. He's gone now.”

She said Joseph recently had a dispute with someone and she believes his murder was related.

She said Joseph had spent the day with his father at his Charford Court home, and as he walked his father out of the compound and sat down, he was shot.

Joseph's sisters and nephew were also present and inconsolable as his body lay motionless across the road behind police caution tape.

In October, Newsday visited the Port of Spain City Police and spoke to acting Insp Faheed Mohammed. He said he knew that the public may be fearful when visiting the city, but wanted to reassure the public that meetings with the army and other stakeholders in national security were being held, and measures were in place to safeguard shoppers and vendors in the capital.

He did not go into detail about the meetings but highlighted that a further increase in joint police and army patrols in the capital and surrounding areas was expected.

Newsday tried contacting the city police for an update on the new initiatives but was unsuccessful. Newsday also tried to reach police PRO Joanne Archie for updates but was unsuccessful.