Military send-off for shot cop today in San Fernando

Hundreds of mourners are expected at the Open Bible First Church in San Fernando this morning for the funeral service of Sgt Hayden Manwaring who was killed in the line of duty last Tuesday.

Acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams will lead senior police to the Ruth Avenue church at 10 am, when Manwaring will be given a military send off. Manwaring, 43, who was born and bred in George Village, Tableland, will be laid to rest next to his parents, Pastora and Winston Manwaring, at the Tableland Public Cemetery.

A police official said the State will bear the full cost of the funeral as is customary with officers killed in the line of duty. While Manwaring’s body is being committed to the earth, three of his alleged killers will remain in custody as charges are yet to be laid.

The fourth suspect up to yesterday remained warded at the San Fernando General Hospital under police guard. The suspect, from Princes Town, underwent surgery last week after being shot in the chest in an exchange of fire with police at the HDC Embacadere buildings.

According to the official, the investigating team led by ASP Rampersad of the Southern Homicide Division is near completing its report to be submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions in a few days.

He expects that instructions will be given within a short time and the men will appear before a San Fernando magistrate later this week on charges of murder, causing grievous bodily harm, shooting with intent and aggravated robbery.

Last Tuesday Manwaring and his colleague PC Nicholas Phillips were shot by bandits when they intercepted a car at Padmore Street, San Fernando.

They had spotted a car that fitted the description of the getaway car used in the robbery of Mom’s Diner at Cipero Street, San Fernando. They called for reinforcement, but as they approached, Manwaring was shot in the stomach and Phillip in the arm.

In the melee Manwaring’s .380 pistol was taken and was found the following day in a plastic bag in  bushes behind the Embacadere buildings.

Manwaring was driven to hospital by one of the suspects, with the injured PC Phillip following behind in the police car.

But he died hours after undergoing emergency surgery. Doctors said the bullet penetrated his kidney causing massive blood loss.