(Trinidad Express) A former police sergeant was last night killed as he made his way home to his family.
Peter Bruce, 65, was shot eight times to the upper part of his body. Police believed Bruce was followed by the gunman.
Bruce, who retired from the police force ten years ago after serving 33 years as an officer, was last posted at the Siparia Police Station.
After his retirement, he became the owner of a bar near his home.
Police believe it was around 12.20 a.m. Bruce was driving along the road at Whiteland, Williamsville when he was shot by the occupant of a car behind his vehicle.
Bruce’s green Nissan Cefiro motorcar ran off the road. The gunman alighted from the car in which he was a passenger, walked up to Bruce’s car and fired several times.
The ex-officer was shot in his head and upper body, police said. He died at the scene.
The man escaped in the waiting car. Nothing was taken from the vehicle.
Bruce was discovered by people in the area who were driving past and saw his car in the bushes at the side of the road.
Bruce’s wife Lynnette Ransome said she got a phone call saying her husband was in an accident.
At the crime scene, she was told Bruce had been fatally shot.
Ransome yesterday said she was uncertain from where her husband may have been returning when he was killed.
She said Bruce would at times go to the gas station and be heading home around that time. She last saw him around 7 p.m.
Ransome said Bruce was enjoying his retirement and described him as a “cool and laid back” person.
She told reporters she was baffled over who would have wanted to kill him as, she said, he had no altercations with anyone.
Bruce, who was well known in the area, was the owner of Triple M Bar on Whiteland Junction.
Officer Gadoo of the Gasparillo Police Station and other detectives from the station are continuing investigations.
An autopsy is expected to be conducted at the Forensic Science Centre today.
Bruce’s killing takes the murder toll to 125 for the year, according to an Express tally.