Father of two, Naim Caliph did not live to celebrate his 36th birthday on Tuesday.
Caliph was shot multiple times inside his white Range Rover where he was seated in the passenger's seat. His friend, Fiaz Mohammed was the driver.
The two reportedly went to the opening of Steel Restaurant and Lounge at South Park on Friday night and while driving along the Tarouba Link Road, the vehicle as intercepted by a white AD wagon.
The wagon's occupants opened fire on Caliph's vehicle, hitting him and Mohammed several times. Although Mohammed received gunshot wounds to his thigh and stomach, he managed to drive to the Mon Repos Police Station, some 2.5 km, about five minutes away. Mohammed, 28, of Hubert Rance Street, Vistabella, was taken to the San Fernando General Hospital where he was said to be in stable condition up to late yesterday.
Caliph's social media account listed him as an employee of Xovaa Enterprises. The Sunday Guardian visited his home in Palmyra and his parents' home in Gasparillo, but no one was at either house.
In a brief telephone interview, a female relative said Caliph's wife was not able to speak to the media and asked that the family be given time to grieve.
Southern Division Police said they are yet to establish a motive for Caliph's murder. While officers could not say how many times Caliph was shot, the Sunday Guardian was told 12 spent shells were recovered from the scene.
Ishmael: Bring out the army
Meanwhile, Islamic Broadcasting Network founder and activist, Inshan Ishmael called on the Government and Opposition to put their differences aside to deal with crime.
Ishmael said National Security Minister Edmund Dillon and Acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams were incompetent.
Ishmael said he rushed to the scene when Caliph's father called him around 2 am and told the media that the crime situation was totally out of control.
"Something has to be done, we have to stop playing politics with crime, both sides have to get their acts together," said Ishmael.
"I have called for it before and I think that the National Security Minister and the Police Commissioner are abject failures.
"Up to last night I posted pictures of police cars parked up by the bars and when you need a police vehicle, you can't get it.
"And unfortunately that is not reflective of all the police, it is reflective of some and we are seeing that the National Security Minister is inept, he can't function, he is a failure and I think we need to get serious with crime, not because this is my friend it is because we have been making this call for a long time now."
Questioning whether the country is at war, Ishmael called for the Defence Force to be called out.
"I think we have the army sitting down doing nothing, feeding them everyday, clothing them everyday, what purpose do they serve? Are we at war? The army needs to be on the road everyday.??