BANDIT SHOT DEAD

IN AN ironic twist of fate, a man described by police as a bandit was fatally shot in the chest by his accomplice, whose gun accidentally went off while he (the accomplice) was pistol-whipping their intended robbery victim — a Marabella businessman — early yesterday morning. Jerry Fraser, 30, of Loukie Trace, Penal, died while undergoing emergency surgery at the San Fernando General Hospital. His accomplice-turned-killer is still at large.

The incident occurred around 1 am, in front of the home of businessman Darryl Seecharan, 40, who sells outboard boat engines from his Market Street, Marabella, home. According to police reports, Seecharan had just returned home and as he alighted from his vehicle, was accosted by two masked gunmen, who trained their guns at him and snatched away his $900 gold chain and an $800 cellular phone. One of the bandits started hitting Seecharan on his head with the gun-butt which accidentally discharged and a bullet struck the other bandit in his chest at point blank range. The injured bandit, later positively identified as Jerry Fraser, ran a short distance before collapsing. Fraser’s accomplice escaped with Seecharan’s cellular phone and jewelry. Seecharan called the police who arrived on the scene shortly and took the injured man to the SFGH, where he died while undergoing surgery.

An autopsy was expected to be carried out yesterday afternoon at the Forensic Science Centre, Federation Park, St James. The businessman gave investigators a statement, then sought medical treatment at SFGH. When Newsday visited Fraser’s home, which he shared with his common-law wife Christine Grant, 21, his mother Ottillia, and several siblings expressed shock over his death and the circumstances surrounding it. Grant, a security guard, visited her relatives in Mon Repos yesterday morning and had not returned home at the time of her common-law husband’s death. Ottillia, a mother of five — two of whom have now died — said she had no idea her son was involved in a life of crime. She said Fraser suffered with a heart problem and worked as a joiner. She told Newsday the last time she saw her son alive was around 5 pm on Sunday. “He spend the whole day here and in the evening he say he going out to come back,” she recalled. The crying woman said she was worried when her son did not return home because he was not accustomed to sleeping out. “I never know him to be robbing people. He don’t have no case (pending in court). I just don’t know what to believe,” she sobbed. Visiting the scene were a party of officers led by Snr Supt Desmond Lambert and including ASP Dyo Mohammed, Insp Brereton and Insp Blackman. Marabella police are investigating the incident.