Police kill 4, 3 in Port of Spain, one in Morvant

Four people were shot dead in confrontations with police overnight, and three arrested during a reported shootout in the heart of the capital city of Port of Spain in the early hours of Saturday.

Beetham Gardens residents protested against the killings of two young men and one teenager near Republic Bank, on Independence Square and Chacon Street, by throwing garbage and other debris on the east bound lanes.

Police moved in quickly to quell the disturbance and cleared the roadway.

Independence Square remains cordoned off as crime scene officers gather evidence and traffic has been backed up in several streets in the city.

According to a preliminary report from senior police officers, police were pursuing a stolen AD Wagon, PDY 9161, in Richplain, Diego Martin around 3.20 am and were about to intercept the car when it was abandoned by two men.

The suspects got into another car, PDX 3306, with four other men and sped off. Police said there was reported exchange of gunfire in the Diego Martin district and police chased after the car along Wrightson Road, Port of Spain.

They summoned help from static patrols and several streets were blocked off under the active direct patrols grid system.

Police said the car with the six men swung onto Independence Square, near the Breakfast Shed, and turned off onto Independence Square, where they again diverted to the opposite lane driving in the wrong direction as their path was blocked by police.

Officers blocked the path near Republic Bank and on the opposite end. Police said the driver of the car attempted to swerve south on Chacon Street and crashed into the bank's western side.

Two people were shot dead in the back seat, one in the passenger seat and a fourth was injured by gunfire. Two others were arrested. The dead men have been identified as  Fabian Richards, Niko Williams, both in their 20s and 17-year-old Isaiah Roberts. The deceased are from Snake Valley, Laventille, Trou Macacque, Beetham Gardens. The fourth person who was critically injured has been identified as 16-year-old Malakai Glenn. Police said the two other suspects are in custody. Police said they recovered a Smith and Wesson pistol in the car.

Two police vehicles in the chase was damaged, one with a bullet hole in the windscreen. No officers were hurt, police said. Officers from the Western Division, Guard and Emergency Branch, Inter-Agency Task Force, and Port of Spain Task Force were involved in the exercise.

And officers reported a man identified only as "Ratty" was shot dead by police during a reported confrontation at Second Caledonia, Morvant, around 5.45 am. Police said they recovered a pistol and a quantity of US currency on the scene and arrested three men.

No other details were available immediately.

Acting Police Commissioner McDonald Jacob has been alerted of the reports. Snr Supt Brandon Khan of the Port of Spain Division is leading investigations into the triple police killing.

More details will be provided as they come to hand.