A high speed chase and shoot out in central Trinidad involving eight robbery suspects early yesterday morning ended with the police killing three people and injuring three others. Two other people managed to escape. This comes on the heels of Monday's lifting of the 11 pm to 5 am curfew that came into effect in 'hot spots' when the state of emergency was declared in August. The shoot-out began around 1 am when police officers of the Central Division Task Force spotted the suspects travelling in two vehicles-an Accent and a Wingroad-along the Uriah Butler Highway. Police have not revealed the identity of the deceased men, but said all the suspects are from the Santa Cruz area. The officers recovered two guns-a .357 Magnum and a 9mm Beretta, and a quantity of jewelry and cash believed to be the loot from the robberies.
Police said the suspects had gone on a robbery spree, relieving several people of cash, jewelry and cellphones near the Rich Gold Bar and Bhagna Trace. Task Force officers in an unmarked police vehicle caught up with the suspects proceeding north along the highway near Bhagwansingh's and gave chase. Police said the suspects began shooting at them and they returned fire. According to the police report, during the mile-and-a-half chase, the Accent ended up behind the police vehicle and ran into it in an attempt to run the officers off the road. The police vehicle spun out of control and ended up on the median, along with the Accent. The report stated that three suspects alighted and continued firing. When the smoke cleared the officers found one injured suspect in the car and two others on the ground.
The trio were pronounced dead on arrival at the Chaguanas Health Facility.
Meanwhile, the other suspects abandoned the Wingroad further down the road and ran into some nearby bushes. With the assistance of the National Security helicopter and the Canine Unit, three of the suspects who were nursing gunshot wounds were held. The injured-who are between the ages of 25 and 30 years-were treated at the health facility and discharged. Up to late yesterday the suspects were detained at the Chaguanas Police Station. Visiting the scene was a party of policemen including Snr Supt Edward Castillo, ASP Johnny Abraham, Insp Lawrence, Insp Pragg and officers of CID, Task Force and Homicide Bureau. Police said the arrest of the two other suspects were imminent. Commenting briefly on the incident, Abraham sounded a warning to people thinking about committing crimes in central Trinidad. "They have to know to stay out of Central Division. We have the whole of Central Division under heavy patrol," he declared. The bodies are being kept at the mortuary of the San Fernando General Hospital until Monday when they will be taken to Forensic Science Centre for autopsies. Investigations are continuing.