(Trinidad Guardian) A Central businessman was one of two people murdered in separate incidents in Chaguanas and Sangre Grande Tuesday night into yesterday, taking Trinidad and Tobago’s homicide toll to 164.
The victims were identified as Rishard Ali, 48 and Brian Bennett, 37.
Ali, a well-known businessman from Biljah Road, Chaguanas, was fatally shot during a carjacking attempt that occurred near his home at 8 am.
According to the police, a gunman confronted Ali and attempted to steal his vehicle. However, Ali resisted, resulting in a confrontation which led to his shooting.
The suspect fled the scene and Ali was taken to the Chaguanas District Health Facility, where he died.
Ali was the second businessman killed in recent days.
On Friday night, Bing Zhu Zang, 49, the owner of Golden City Supermarket at Silver Mill, San Juan, was killed by one of three bandits who confronted him on the property, when he returned to his business after dropping off an employee. Reports said he was ambushed by the men, who were hiding behind an ice-freezer on the western side of the gated compound when Zhu Zang returned around 10.20 pm.
Zhu Zang’s killing has led to more calls from the business community for easier access to Firearm User’s Licences.
In a separate incident, Brian Bennett was shot dead while socialising with a friend at his home on Sugars Lane, off Blake Avenue Extension, Damarie Hill, Guaico.
Police reported around 8.10 pm on Tuesday, Bennett, a labourer at the Ministry of Works Department in Sangre Grande, was liming with another man when he went outside.
The man inside heard explosions and ran away and hid. When the shots died the man called the Sangre Grande Police Station.
