TWO SHOT BY COP IN DOWNTOWN PoS

People were again scampering for safety yesterday after a police officer opened fire on two men in a private vehicle.

On Monday a bomb went off in a garbage bin on the corner of Frederick and Queen Streets, injuring 14 people. Earlier this year the People’s Mall, which was located at the corner of Queen and Frederick Streets, was demolished by fire.

Crowds gathered at the scene of yesterday’s shooting, after police officers took the injured to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital (PoSGH) in a police vehicle.

Eyewitnesses told Newsday that the police officers did not wait for an ambulance to take the injured men to the hospital.

"The men were unarmed and even when the officers opened the trunk there was only clothing and a trophy in the trunk," eyewitness Anthony Joseph said.

He explained that the car was speeding, and the officers instructed the driver to slow the car down, and stopped the vehicle.

"The driver ( a young man) came out of the vehicle with his hands up in the air, to surrender, and the trigger-happy police officer shot him twice. The driver looked as if he was plying his car for hire as a taxi at the Belmont stand," Joseph said.

He added that when another person came out of the car he was also shot in his ribs, by the same officer.

"People were running for their lives and shop owners closed their doors after he fired four shots at the men," he stated.

Joseph said that an old man was pulled aside by the taxi-stand and given a slap in his face.

The crowd heckled police officers saying, "You shoot them! You are wrong!"

Members of the media were also pushed out of the way by police officers.

The corner of Queen and Charlotte Streets across to Henry Street were blocked off.

"That is not justice! Also a woman with a cell phone started to take photos and they roughly pulled her aside and took away her cell phone!" a eyewitness said.

Bullet holes were seen in the windscreen of the car while the police officers checked the vehicle.

Newsday learnt that the two men were taken to the Accident and Emergency Department of the PoSGH.

One of the men who was shot was taken to the operating theatre for emergency surgery, while the other was sent for an x-ray.