Sascha Wilson
Seventeen-year-old Khriston Cooper is the third suspect killed by police in Mayaro during an alleged shoot-out.
Cooper of Guayaguayare, Mayaro, Zackery "Cori" Gilbert, 19 and Antonie "Matta" St Rose, 21, both of Mayaro, were shot dead on Sunday night at an abandoned beachfront house off Church Street, Mayaro.
A fourth suspect is still on the run. Initial police reports stated that shortly before 9 pm, a 41-year-old KFC delivery driver went to Mischier Road to drop off an order.
When he got there he was approached by a man who claimed to be the customer.
Three other men armed with guns, cutlasses and knives then approached and announced a robbery. They robbed him of an undisclosed sum of cash, a cellphone and the KFC meal.
The four suspects then ran off, towards the beach. The police responded and took up strategic positions at the scene.
Two of the officers walked along the beach front and were confronted by the suspects.
The suspects opened fire at the officers and began running at the side of an abandoned house at Church Road as they continued firing at the officers.
The officers returned fire hitting three of the men who fell to the ground. The police recovered a revolver with one live round and spent casings. Gilbert's relatives, however, are claiming that the police used excessive force. The Police Complaints Authority is investigating the incident.
For the year so far nine people have been killed by police during five incidents.