San Juan shooting ends in murder

LESS than four hours after being shot in the hip at his San Juan home, 33-year-old Terrence Charles was dead, succumbing to the injury while undergoing surgery at Port-of-Spain General Hospital yesterday.

North-Eastern Division police have since launched a massive manhunt for Charles’ killer and are continuing investigations into what is the country’s latest murder. Polices sources told Newsday that just before he died, Charles gave certain information to investigators, which is believed to be critical in the police’s investigations. According to police reports, around 11.15 am on Sunday, Charles was relaxing at his Laventille Road, Febeau Village, San Juan home when he heard a male voice calling his name loudly. When Charles went to the front of his home, he saw a man who raised a gun at Charles and fired once. Charles slumped to the floor after being shot in the hip. The gunman fled the scene.

Charles, who was bleeding profusely, was taken to Port-of-Spain General Hospital by relatives who also reported the matter to the San Juan police. A team of officers coordinated by Supt Waldron Bishop, led by Sgt Mongal Hazarie and including PC Murray, went to the hospital and spoke to Charles just before he went into the Operating Theatre for emergency surgery. At 3 pm, the officers and Charles’ relatives received the news that he had died while undergoing surgery. The body was taken to the nearby mortuary. An autopsy will be done today at the Forensic Sciences Centre. Up to late yesterday no arrests had been made and Sgt Hazarie of San Juan CID is continuing investigations.