(Trinidad Guardian) It was only on Wednesday that Radica Smith thought she would start buying Christmas gifts for her son Rishi, but tragedy jolted her as he died hours after gunmen attacked. Rishi, 33, a mechanic of Dheli Road, Fyzabad, died while undergoing treatment at the San Fernando General Hospital.
His friend, Emmanuel Cudjoe, 30, remained warded at the hospital, suffering from gunshot injuries.
A report stated that Rishi and Cudjoe were standing along Archibald Street around 10.40 pm on Wednesday when three men approached.
The gunmen ran after Rishi and Cudjoe for a short distance and shot them.
They fled by running onto Roots Avenue. A resident took the men to the Siparia District Health Facility, where they were treated. Rishi died around 4.55 am yesterday.
At her home in Fyzabad yesterday, Smith said she was awake when Rishi’s girlfriend Avi called around 10 pm, asking if she heard anything, informing her that someone shot the younger of her two sons. Avi picked up Smith in her car, and they went to the hospital.
Smith said while doctors did not tell her much about Rishi’s condition, they told her that he may not survive.
Clutching a photograph of her and her son, Smith recalled how Rishi would banter with her and care for her following the death of her husband, Roger, eight years ago.
He moved in with his girlfriend three months ago but would call and visit her daily. She said he was a loving son who helped her pay bills.
“I was up because I normally wait for him to call me. He calls me every day. I do not know how I will make out now,” Smith said.
Smith said all she heard was that Rishi was at Archibald Street and knew there were guys he usually hung out with there.
Based on what she knew, no one had threatened or attacked him before, so she could not speculate why someone had killed him.