[UPDATED] Gun attack on prison officer at Piarco, suspects hurt in crash

A gun attack on a prison officer near Piarco Plaza on June 20, moments after the officer completed his shift at the Maximum Security Prison has triggered panic among his colleagues.

The officer who survived the attack after being shot multiple times has been identified as Govindra Balgobin.

He was taken to hospital for emergency treatment and remains warded in a serious condition.

Police and prison authorities are investigating whether the shooting was linked to an incident on June 16 at the Women's Prison in Arouca where a relative of a high-profile inmate awaiting trial for murder was reportedly assaulted by prison officers.

Two of Balgobin's attackers were injured after the getaway car crashed into a street light on the median of the Churchill Roosevelt Highway near Trincity moments after the attack. Dashcam footage shared on social media shows the car, a white wagon, zooming around traffic before skidding on the wet road and colliding with the metal pole. The car spun several times and the front seat passenger, believed to be the shooter, was ejected and fell on the road.

The driver was also injured and detained by police first responders. A loaded Glock 19 pistol was found in the car.

Traffic was blocked off on the west bound lanes after 10 pm as police gathered evidence and fire officers cleared the wreckage.

In an immediate response, president of the Prison Officers Association Gerard Gordon condemned the attack and pleaded for off duty prison officers to be allowed to get guns to protect themselves while off-duty.

In a statement shared on social media, the association said it is "once again forced to raise its voice in anguish and outrage following the attempted murder of yet another prison officer earlier this evening.

While we are grateful beyond words that our colleague is still alive and currently receiving medical treatment, we remain deeply disturbed by the ongoing and unchecked assaults on the men and women of the Prison Service."

"This is not an isolated incident. Just shy of three dozen prison officers — fathers, sons, husbands , and friends — have been brutally murdered in this country, with the State doing little to nothing to arrest this disgusting trend. These murders are not statistics. They are real people, with grieving families and shattered homes, and the indifference shown to their plight is as painful as the crimes themselves."

The association also condemned the "reckless sharing" of Balgobin's driver's permit which stated his address.

"In someone’s haste to circulate 'breaking news,' they completely disregarded the safety of this officer’s family, forcing his wife, children, and loved ones into a terrifying reality of fear and trauma. This is not just negligence. It is an affront to every person who wears the uniform and serves with honour."

The association said prison officers are under attack, "not just by criminals, but by the silence, inaction, and delay of those elected to protect and lead. "

The statement said the association has taken the State to court over the issue of safety and security.

"And yet, even as officers are gunned down, hunted, and terrorised, no meaningful change has been implemented."

"We recently reminded the Government, via a formal statement, of our support for the former Opposition Leader and now Prime Minister’s call to arm law enforcement officers and protect their well-being. In that same communication, we proposed again, the Law Enforcement Officer Safety Act, which offers a structured path to address these systemic failures. But tonight’s attack is yet another brutal reminder that time is running out."

"We implore - no, demand- in the strongest possible terms, that the Government stop ignoring the dire reality faced by the nation’s prison officers. Stop treating us like disposable assets. Stop dragging your feet on promises of protection. Stop underestimating the pain and pressure that our families live with every single day.

This cannot continue. The next officer may not be as lucky. The next child may lose a parent. The next wife may be left to bury her husband," the statement said.