Exactly 15 days after investigators returned to the scene of a police-involved shooting in which three young men were killed near the corner of Chacon Street and Independence Square, Port-of-Spain, on July 2, the official directly responsible for carrying out the ballistics analysis has been sent on quarantine leave.
Disclosing this yesterday when he was contacted, acting Police Commissioner McDonald Jacob said this has led to a delay in the investigation.
He said, “They had reached three-quarters of the way in doing the work, and then they went on quarantine.”
The quarantine period which began last week is expected to come to an end this week.
Fabian Richards, 22, Isaiah Roberts, 17 both of St Barb’s and Leonardo Williams, 21, of Beetham Gardens, died after they were shot by police during an incident around 3.20 am on July 2.
The three were said to be returning from a party in Diego Martin when they were allegedly pursued and later shot by police.
Police countered that they returned fire only after the occupants shot at them, a claim the dead men’s relatives have continued to deny.
Autopsy results for the three revealed they sustained gunshot wounds to the back including the back of the head, the back of the neck, the buttocks and arms.
The three survivors, including a teenager who was also shot, were never charged by officers.
The deaths sparked fiery protests, leading to residents from Port-of-Spain and environs blocking the main access roads into and out of west Trinidad, as they demanded justice.
