Brothers selling doubles attacked in Port of Spain

TWO BROTHERS selling doubles were attacked by two men, resulting in one brother being stabbed several times in the back as he fought off his assailants at their Frederick Street shop on July 13.

The victim's father spoke with Newsday and identified one son as Steven. He said the pair had opened their shop about half an hour before the attempted 2 am robbery.

"It was quiet, Saturday mornings are usually quiet. My youngest son was eating a doubles and Steven had his back turned when the two men walked in."

The men demanded cash and told Steven to hand over his wallet before pulling out a knife and putting it to his neck. Steven's younger brother intervened, leading to a scuffle.

"My younger son rushed the man and grabbed the knife. He has cuts on his fingers and the palms of his hands. They flung him onto the doubles cooler and he and the doubles fell onto the pavement," the father said.

Steven and a suspect began to tussle and Steven also fell to the ground. The suspect then tried to take Steven's wallet out of his pants but struggled because his pants were fitted.

"He got frustrated that he couldn't get the wallet and whatever object he had, he used to stab him," the father explained.

The man said only after some passersby saw what was happening and began walking towards the scene did the assailants run off.

"I don't know what's going on in this place, but no one is safe. I was thinking about sending my four sons abroad to live. I know it will not be a bed of roses out there, but if they stay here, they might die. Crime is out of control," he lamented.

Steven was taken to the Port of Spain General Hospital, where he is in a stable condition, awaiting an X-ray and CT scan.

"Criminals seem to be running this country and hard-working people are fighting for their lives. Making an honest dollar is dangerous in this country," Steven's father concluded.