(Trinidad Express) A shooting incident in Laventille, mere minutes before curfew restrictions went into effect in the known crime hot spot on Thursday, left one man dead and another wounded at hospital.
Shemell Henry, 24, of Eric Street, Rock City, Laventille, was shot dead by officers of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) after Henry was seen chasing a villager.
The incident, which started around 10.30 p.m. in the vicinity of the pan yard at Eastern Quarry, Laventille, ended behind the Laventille Technology and Continuing Centre.
Another Laventille resident, identified as Kalil Melville, 18, was also shot during the melee and remains warded in satisfactory condition at the Port of Spain General Hospital.
Police said the shooting was triggered by a dispute two women had over a man from the area.
Two male relatives of the women, police added, squared off to fight and one slapped the other on the face.
Henry, who was known in the community to pull firearms on fellow residents, was summoned by one of his relatives and he began chasing and firing shots at the man who had earlier slapped the other.
Sources added that Henry himself was also chased by two other men armed with guns and gun shots were traded.
Officers from the IATF, who were on mobile patrol in the area, responded to the shooting and were forced to duck for cover and return fire as shots were fired in their direction.
Henry was later found in a nearby drain with a 9mm pistol and six live rounds of ammunition.
He was taken to Hospital where he later died.
Thursday’s shooting drew scores of police and soldiers to the area, who went in search of other suspects involved in the shooting but they could not be found.
Cpl Hinkson and PC Narine of the Besson Street CID were among the officers who visited the scene.
Investigations are continuing into the incident.
Henry is the first person to be shot dead by police since the state of emergency was announced on August 21.
