Suspended cop gunned down in botched robbery in Arima

A 54-year-old policeman was shot and killed in a botched robbery on Saturday night in Olton Road, Arima.

Police said around 7.30 pm on October 19, Sheldon Peterson was standing outside Awesome Food and Drink Ltd at the corner of Olton Road, Arima, when a brown Nissan Almera drove into the parking lot.

Masked gunmen came out of the Almera and confronted Peterson and another man.

Peterson took out his licensed pistol and fired two shots in the direction of the gunmen.

He missed and was gunned down. The gunman then took Peterson's gun and ran back into the Almera before it drove off.

Another man who was inside the grocery at the time of the incident was also shot and wounded.

Police found six 9 mm spent shells at the scene.

Peterson was suspended from the police service as he and three other policemen were charged with misconduct in office.

A Newsday article on July 14 said four and a half years ago, the trio were committed to stand trial before a judge and jury.

However, key documents from the judiciary that would allow the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to file an indictment against the officers have yet to be produced.

In an interview, PC Dexter Edwards, speaking on behalf of Peterson and Sgt Lester Garcia, said the slow wheels of justice were too much to bear.

Edwards said they were charged in October 2014 and suspended from duty on three-quarter pay.

Peterson was employed as a security guard at the grocery.