‘Domestic’ saw youth shoot security guard

A DOMESTIC worker witnessed the shooting of a security officer by a gun-toting youth at the International School in Westmoorings on November 20, 2002 and fled the scene because she was fearful for her life and the lives of the two children of her employer. The children were still inside the school building at the time of the shooting.

Kathleen Woods of Beard Street, Maraval, was giving evidence at the inquest into the circumstances surrounding the death of 17-year-old Phillip Seerattan, who was fatally shot by two police officers after he shot a security guard, William Ramnarine on the school’s compound. The inquest is being heard at the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court with Chief Magistrate Sherman Mc Nicolls presiding as Coroner.

Woods said at around 3.45 pm she accompanied her employer, Caroline Gonzales to the school to pick up the children.  She said she stood at the guard booth with three other persons and waited for the children to come out of the school. While standing there, she said, she noticed a “brown skin guy” dressed in black. According to Woods, she thought he was a security guard because he had a brown gun about eight inches long in his right hand. Woods told the court that the security guard (Ramnarine) came out of the guard booth and spoke to the guy (Seerattan) but she could not hear what they were saying. She said Ramnarine was not aggressive and it appeared as though he was reasoning with Seerattan. A few seconds later she heard a gunshot. When asked by Mc Nicolls how she knew it was a gunshot, Woods replied, “I know a shot.” 

Woods said when she realised that Ramnarine had been shot she started to run to her employer’s car. She heard more shots, she said, and when she looked around she saw Seerattan run into the school and Ramnarine lying on the ground. She and her employer left the school compound at that time and she returned at around 4 pm to give a statement to the police, she said. Woods was one of six witnesses who gave evidence at the inquest yesterday.  Attorney Martin George is representing the interest of the two police officers, PC Gary Moore and WPC Suad Weekes, Lydia Mendonca for the International School and Patricia Roberts appeared for the Seerattan family.  Sgt Kenneth Cordner appeared as court prosecutor.  The matter was adjourned until November 4.