Servol student gunned down in Barataria

Twenty-four hours before he was to celebrate his 20th birthday today, Beetham Estate Servol Life Centre stu-dent, Esza Matthew, was gunned down in what is believed to be a grudge hit. According to eyewitness re-ports, at  around 5.15 pm Matthew was sitting on a wall at Garrick Street, Barataria when a man from the nearby Saw Mill Avenue walked up to him and pulled out a gun. “Matthew threw himself at the man and the two began to tussle on the ground as scattered shots rang out. In the melee, Matthew was shot in the abdomen, while Karim Hoyte, 18, who was passing at the same time, was shot in the knee. Both men, of Upper Garrick Street, were rushed to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital where Matthews succumbed to his injuries.

The shooter, according to reports, ran off in a southerly direction where he was held and beaten by some other men and relieved of his gun before he was sent away. According to police reports, Matthew was involved in a scuffle at Saw Mill Avenue earlier in the evening with another man who fired several shots at him. The Servol student escaped unscathed and was sitting on a wall when another man with the same gun shot him dead. It is believed the first gunman had given the other man the gun and instructions to shoot Matthews.

Eyewitnesses however told Newsday that the shooting had nothing to do with a grudge but is gang-related. “These fellas live close to each other and know each other. Pick sense from nonsense.” said one eye-witness. Matthew is the third of four children and the only boy. When Newsday visited the family home, his father Raymond had gone to the hospital, while his eldest sister, Grizel, who is deaf and dumb, could share no information. Police officers told Newsday an arrest is imminent. Visiting the scene were Snr Supt Bishop, Inspector Coa, Sgt Abraham, Cpls Liborne, Rampaul and Ramjit. Cpl Ramjit is investigating.