Secret bandit: parents of dead suspect shocked by fatal heist

Condemning their son for being part of Monday's deadly heist in La Romaine, the parents of deceased bandit Greg Dodough on Wednesday apologised to relatives of the victims saying his actions has left their entire family in shock.

"The victims were innocent people. We are saddened by their deaths. There is nothing we can possibly say to comfort their families. We want to reach out, but we cannot. We did not know about this part of his life. It was a secret," Dodough’s mother told Newsday.

On the brink of tears on Wednesday, she went on, "We are not monsters. We do not know where he got the guns. I don't know where he learnt to use guns. We do not know how he got the courage to do what he did."

The mother of four asked that her name or photos taken at the family's home in Fyzabad not be used.

Her son was one of four suspects killed in a shootout with the police in La Romaine on Monday evening. The suspects had earlier ambushed and killed two security officers and injured another outside Pennywise Plaza. The security officers, all employed with Allied Security Ltd, were transporting money in a van.

Jeffery Peters, 51, and Jerry "Bat" Stuart, 49, died, while Peola Baptiste, 57, remains hospitalised.

Dodough would have turned 22 on Sunday. His mother claimed he was not struggling financially.

"He never had to ask anyone for anything. The family provided for him, plus the money he worked for was his. We are as shocked as the world. It seemed he picked up bad company. My child grew up sheltered," the mother said.

"People who know the family, knows my child. If he went out at night, I would not sleep. I would keep checking up on him. I used to watch my child like a hawk."

She said that when people commit crimes, the public often blames the suspect's parents.

"It reached my door now, so I can say something different. Do not blame the parents. Some parents are doing their best. We did our best with our children," she said.

"If anyone had told me about this, I would have said my son was not involved. Up to now, I have not watched the videos of the shooting or seen photos. We cannot say if this is the first time he was involved in something like this."

She recalled that he was a close friend to one of the other dead suspects and one of the three people held in connection with the deadly shooting.

Dodough worked with his father, who runs a construction business. She said he had travelled to many countries.

"His suitcase is packed and on his bed. He was supposed to go abroad on Tuesday for work purposes. The family and village are in total shock. He was friends with the two guys, but we do not know the others. They were accustomed to picking up one another," she said.

"We know people are saying many negative things about him and the family. But we know people are also saying positive things and are vouching for us."

Dodough's father, who also asked to be unnamed, said, "That part of his life was a secret to us. He never raised his voice to anyone. I admit he did the wrong thing. He did stupidness."

The father expressed remorse for his son's involvement: "A parent would not encourage his child to drink or smoke, but a friend would. We are just as lost as you. We did not have a clue. We have to face it now. We have to face all the backlash."

He never considered his son and his friends to be involved in anything illegal.

"His mother always monitored him," he said.