Slain cop's funeral set for May 20 at Arima SDA Church

THE funeral for slain police constable and drag race enthusiast Dale "Rug Rat" Mayers is set to take place on May 20.

It is set to start at 11 am at the Seventh Day Adventist Church at De Gannes Street in Arima. The body would be taken to the D'Abadie Public Cemetery for burial.

The 52-year-old, from River Road in Arima, was shot on May 13 around 10 pm while liming at Unique Bar at Montrose Main Road in Chaguanas, in a botched robbery.

He was taken to the Chaguanas Health Facility, where he was declared dead at 11.06 pm.

Mayers was last based at the Arima Police Station.

A close female relative told Newsday on May 16 that the family has been getting tremendous support from the police service.

Since the tragic news broke, scores of people have taken to social media to offer their condolences to Mayers's family, friends, colleagues, and other loved ones.

A Facebook user posted, "A pleasant and Joyful soul. My deepest condolences to family and friends. Wicked ones will soon vanish [Psalm 37:10]."

Another said, "You didn't deserve this boy. Rug Rat forever!"

A third said, "Sad yes. Race In Paradise Rug Rat," while another posted, "Fly unto Glory batch."

The shooting was captured on CCTV cameras.

Footage shows a gunman walking up to where Mayers was sitting next to a female relative and a male friend and announcing a hold-up.

As the gunman looked away, Mayers pulled out his licensed gun and fired at the suspect, who returned fire before getting in an SUV, which drove off.

Mayers was hit in the chest area.

Central Division and Homicide Bureau of Investigations, Region III, police visited the scene and gathered evidence.

Less than two hours after the shooting, a 23-year-old man from Nelson Street in Port of Spain was dropped off at the Port of Spain General Hospital with gunshot wounds.

Investigators believe the wounded man is the main suspect in Mayers's killing.

The suspect remained under police guard at the hospital up to May 16.