‘My son was not a bandit’

RELATIVES of Shedrah Beckles and Kevin Thomas, the two men who were shot and killed during a shootout with police at Samaroo Village, Arima, around 11.30 am on Tuesday, insisted yesterday that the two victims were not bandits nor killers.

Ann Beckles, Shedrah’s mother, said the last time she saw her son was on Saturday. She described Shedrah, 29, as a nice person and added that she was still in a state of shock over the killing. An autopsy carried out yesterday on the body of Kevin Thomas, 23, revealed that death was due to shock and haemorrhage consistent with gunshot wounds.

Thomas was shot once in the chest and in the right leg. The autopsy on the body of Beckles will be carried out today. At Arima yesterday, Ann Beckles, mother of the dead man, claimed that her son did not deserve to die the way he did. She added that based on the information she had received thus far, her son was not in possession of any gun, and he did not shoot at the police. But police investigators insisted yesterday that a shootout took place and a .22 pistol, ammunition, spent ammunition and marijuana were recovered from the house. A 20-year-old woman was also arrested. Newsday learned that Supt Farrell of Central Division has been detailed to carry out an independent investigation into the shooting deaths. Newsday also learned that the two men were suspects in the attempted murder of a police corporal last week.