Gunplay in Petit Valley —— off-duty cop, man shot

A MASSIVE police and army exercise continued in the Petit Valley hills late last night for three of five remaining suspects who shot and wounded an off-duty police officer and another man yesterday evening following a shootout in the hilly area of Cassia Drive. The police officer, identified as uniformed officer, PC Wallace, of the Four Roads Police Station was attended to and discharged from the Port-of-Spain General Hospital.  He was reportedly grazed in the head. The other man, unidentified up to late last night, was reported to be in critical condition at the same institution after being shot in the head.

It is not clear how the shooting took place, but police said PC Wallace, Tobagonian by birth, may have been pursuing some information when he was shot. The policeman was said to be in company with the other wounded man, while they were walking along Cassia Drive just after 4pm yesterday. A shootout is said to have taken place on Cassia Drive, where the other man was injured.  police believe that the gunmen wanted to steal the officer’s gun. An eyewitness, who was part of a construction crew working on the road, told Newsday that he saw PC Wallace running up Cassia Drive, telling them to take cover. The man said the officer asked for a cellphone, and one was given to him by one of the workers.  The witness said the officer, who was armed with a firearm called for help, saying he was being shot at.

The man said he then saw about five men, one armed with a shotgun and the other a revolver coming down a hill at Cassia Drive Extension, firing shots indiscriminately. “Look him (officer) there,” the eyewitness said one of the men shouted. He said the officer ran behind a wall, which is situated at the back of the house of Senior Counsel Osbourne Charles.  However, the eyewitness said, PC Wallace was shot. The officer fell down and dragged himself, while the five men fled into the Petit Valley hills. A report was made and a party of officers headed by acting Commissioner of Police Everald Snaggs and including Deputy Commissioner of Police Trevor Paul, acting Supt Roderick Roach, Insp Thomas and Narcis Cadette and Sgts Anthony Lezama and Stephen Ramsubhag visited the scene, where the officer’s firearm was found. While the wounded were taken to the hospital, the national helicopter and tracker dogs, 100 cops and 20 soldiers were later involved in a manhunt on the Petit Valley hills.