Police awaiting ballistics tests in Beetham shooting

Police are awaiting the results of a post mortem and ballistic tests as they investigate the death of Sharida Ali.

Ali, 36, of Kelly Village, Caroni was killed during a shootout between police and bandits near 19th Street, Beetham Gardens on January 18.

Around 6 pm, police received a report of a Nisssan Note being stolen at gunpoint in Tunapuna.

They intercepted the car along the Beetham highway but the bandits crashed on the Eastbound lane and fled on foot into the Beetham Gardens.

Police chased after them and amid the sounds of gunshots, Ali, who was standing near a window in her friend’s kitchen, collapsed when a bullet struck her head.

Residents told police what happened to Ali and officers took her to the Port of Spain General Hospital, where she died around 6.15 pm.

Speaking at a police media briefing on January 20, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) North West and Special Operations Richard Smith offered his condolences to her friends and family and said police are “putting all our efforts” into the investigation.

“An investigator has been assigned. Today (January 20) is carded for the post mortem so then we will be able to move further with our investigation as it relates to ballistics.”

Head of the Police Complaints Authority David West also offered condolences as he told Newsday the PCA had also began its own parallel investigation into the incident.

“Investigators went out on the scene already and are gathering evidence.”

Smith said soldiers were with police when the shooting occurred but West said the PCA would fulfil its remit even if the fatal shot was determined to have come from a soldier’s gun.

“If our investigation finds that (the bullet came from a soldier’s gun), we will let the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) know about it and let him take the necessary actions.

“If it was self-defence then nothing happens and we close the file. But if we find it was murder, there and then we will refer it to the DPP.”

He said regardless of who fired the bullet, the CDS and Police Commissioner (CoP) will be informed of the outcome of the investigation.

Asked what might have gone wrong and why police did not intercept the bandits before they reached Beetham, Smith said although additional patrols tried to stop them, the bandits crossed the median and drove west on the eastbound lane before crashing the car.

He said, though, the police had learned from the incident and would continue to learn as they meet their mandate to protect and serve.

“We learn lessons on a daily basis. Whatever we do and we need to tweak or improve on certain areas, we will in fact do that. Lessons are learned, and we will put systems in place to improve our delivery of service to the nation as a whole.”

Newsday asked West if he believed the police should re-evaluate its use-of-force policy, given the decision to shoot at bandits in such a densely-populated area.

“That has to come down to training and police officers’ discretion on when to return fire if they are shot at by accused persons.

“We will look at everything and give advice to the CoP if necessary, once we finish our investigations,” he added.