Shooting in Beetham

TWO murders yesterday have sent the country’s murder toll for the year to 145. In the first incident, a Laventille man was shot dead yesterday while he slept at his Hamlet Trace, St Babb’s home. According to police reports, at about 2 am, Peter Harrison, 40, was asleep when gunmen stormed his house and shot him. Neighbours who heard the gunshots, alerted the police. The body was viewed by the District Medical Officer and ordered removed to the Forensic Science Centre in St James where an autopsy was scheduled to be carried out yesterday.

Up to late yesterday, no motive was established for the killing. Homicide Bureau police are continuing investigations. In the second incident, the body of a man was left unattended for almost two hours after police were unable to get the District Medical Officer (DMO) visit the scene of the shooting yesterday. According to police sources, at about 1 pm Deolal Ramnath was playing a game of cards outside Pensioner’s Quarters in the Beetham Estate, when he was confronted and shot several times by a gunman, who later ran off.

Eyewitnesses contacted officers of the Besson Street Police Station. The body was finally viewed by a DMO at about 2.45 pm.

Relatives of the dead man told Newsday he was recently robbed and the bandit had threatened to shoot him. The residents described Ramnath as a “cool person” who lived a humble life.

They added that to their knowledge, Ramnath was not involved in any illicit activities and was well known in the area.