Dad shot dead on 35th birthday

A FATHER of two celebrating his 35th birthday was shot dead in San Fernando early yesterday morning after being wrongly accused of spilling beer on a woman.

Richard Mark, of Temple Street, La Romaine, died of gunshot wounds he suffered to his chest and ankle at the hands of the gunman, who also lives in the same area. The incident occurred while Mark was celebrating his birthday at Cabaret Pub, at La Pique Plaza, Library Corner with his common-law wife, Lisanne Latchmansingh, and his nephew Nigel Darymple. Despite crowds of early morning revellers and police who turned out for San Fernando City Jouvert celebrations, Mark’s older brother, Kelvin, 40, said no one came to assist when his brother lay bleeding on the pavement. 

Kelvin said: “There were plenty people around, but no one was helping my brother. Lisanne was begging for help, but the crowd was just watching.” Eventually Mark’s neighbour assisted in getting a taxi to rush the bleeding man to the hospital, but Mark was pronounced dead on arrival at the San Fernando General Hospital more than half an hour after he was shot. It was around 3.45 am when Mark and his relatives were outside the pub when an altercation erupted between Mark and the shooter. Kelvin said the family was told that the gunman, who lives also lives in La Romaine, accused Mark of throwing beer on his (the shooter’s) sister. “They (Mark and the gunman) started to argue and they exchanged obscenities. Apparently he get in a rage and pulled out a gun and fired a shot at Richard. My brother fell on the ground, and he came at him again and shot him. Only when Lisanne started to beg for my brother that the man (shooter) back off.”

Kelvin added: “Imag-ine, you could always wash clothes and get them clean, but nobody could bring back my brother.” Sunday Newsday was told it was the first lime in three months for Mark, who had avoided partying after he joined the Church of the Open Bible. Mark’s 66-year-old mother, Lynanne Robert, said her son left home at 5.30 pm on Friday “feeling like a king” having been in a good mood for his birthday. Only hours before his death, as if having a premonition of his death, Mark told his common-law wife that she would always remember him by a tattoo of his name on her arm. “It is only when it hits home that you realise how bad the crime situation is. “The courts want to stop hangings in this country, but look how senseless by brother died. Somebody has to pay for that”, Kelvin said. San Fernando CID is continuing investigations.