(Trinidad Guardian) The first day of 2019 had barely ended, but criminals had managed to snuff the life of another victim with the murder of Couva fisherman Samuel Sookdeo on Tuesday night.
Sookdeo, 31, and his friend Patrick Samuel were liming at his relatives’ home along Bachan Street, Union Village when a gunman wearing a black jacket and camouflaged pants walked into the street.
From a distance, he began firing at the group. They scampered for safety behind a pick-up truck that was parked in the yard.
However, Sookdeo was struck in the head and chest while Patrick was hit in the back. The gunman then ran off. Patrick ran home and was taken to the Couva District Health Facility by his wife but Sookdeo was dead within minutes.
Relatives said they tried contacting Couva police, but after no one answered, they had to go to the police station.
They said they had just finished eating dinner when Patrick, Samuel and three other cousins went into the yard to lime. They said it appears the gunman knew exactly where he was going and from three houses away, began shooting. One of Sookdeo’s cousins was grazed by a bullet while running away.
When Guardian Media visited the house yesterday, gunshot impressions could be seen on the walls and a concrete blocks that were in the yard. Relatives said at least 20 shots were fired by the gunman.
Sookdeo’s cousin Rakesh Sahadeo said he was in bed with his seven-year-old daughter and when they shot rang out, she started to scream. He immediately he picked her up and took cover. When he walked outside, Sookdeo was already dead.
Sahadeo said it was puzzling why someone would have wanted him dead as there were no threats to his life and no conflict that his family knew about. He said Sookdeo would always be working, selling fish in his pick-up.
“Since Christmas, he has been liming here comfortably. He did not have any argument with anyone. His job is on the road so he is accustomed to dealing with people. To me he was good and he used to work really hard as a fisherman. He had a stepchild and he used to take care of her so he was always buying and selling goods,” Sahadeo said.
On Tuesday morning, Daniel Mahabir, 55, a street dweller was found dead at Suck a Sweetie Old Metal and Marine Stores scrap yard in Sea Lots. His head was bashed in by a concrete slab.
